This subject paper is intended to be a research paper delving into different views and analyses from various sources. The views and analyses as contained in this paper are intended to stimulate public discussion and input to the planning process of the "HK2030 Study" and do not necessarily represent the views of the HKSARG.

WORKING PAPER No. 39 INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF POSSIBLE PORT DEVELOPMENT SITES

Background

1. The port is a vital economic infrastructure of . As a result of rapid economic growth in Southern China and Mainland’s accession to the World Trade Organization, the Port Development Strategy Review (PDSR) 2001 recommended that the existing container terminals may not have sufficient capacity to meet long-term need and the next container terminal would be required in early next decade1.

2. In planning for the future port development, our objective is to formulate a sustainable port development strategy which will take into account both the economic needs for further port facilities and the possible measures to mitigate the existing and new environmental problems. As for future port location, four potential sites for future container port development were shortlisted by PDSR 2001 for further investigation, namely West , East Lantau, Northwest Lantau and Southwest . To finalise the best site for future container port development, the sites are now being further investigated under the Study on Hong Kong Port- Master Plan 2020 (HKP2020) to be completed in early 2004. In view of the proximity of the East Lantau site to the Disney Development, this site has not been selected for further detailed assessment. The other three locations are now being studied under the HKP2020 Study.

Initial Assessment

3. An initial assessment on the following considerations based on preliminary data of the three possible sites is at Appendix I:-

* Economic Consideration * Planning and Lands Consideration * Environmental and Ecological Consideration * Transport Consideration

1 The on-going “Study on Hong Kong Port – Master Plan 2020” will review the Port Cargo Forecasts carried out in 2000/01 and update the port development plan and programme recommended by the PDSR 2001. 2

* Marine Consideration * Port Planning and Programming * Other Considerations.

Next Step

4. More in-depth investigations are being carried out under the HKP2020 Study to ascertain the various impacts and mitigating solutions before the best location for future port development can be identified.

PLANNING DEPARTMENT November 2003

APPENDIX I INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF POSSIBLE PORT DEVELOPMENT SITES

SW Tsing Yi NW Lantau W Tuen Mun

Economic Consideration Cost-Benefit * Offer synergies with the existing * In close proximity to the proposed * Close to boundary crossing points and terminals, port back up areas and port- Hong Kong- Zhuhai -Macao Bridge River Trade Terminal. related industries at Kwai Chung and (HZMB), well-connected to the Western * Port expansion constrained by steep Tsing Yi. part of Pearl River Delta (PRD) region. mountains to the east and the Urmston * Although having long coastline, port * Port development constrained by Road to the west, but still able to development limited by shortage of Airport Marine Restricted Area to the provide ample space for port land. north, HKSAR boundary to the west, development. * Close to existing urban areas and thus and environmental sensitive areas to * The water depth is sufficient for provision of infrastructure, services and the south and east. Airport Height berthing large container vessels, utilities are not likely to be difficult. Restrictions in the area will impact on minimal maintenance dredging will be * Will involve high re-provisioning and layout design of the port. needed. decontamination costs. * The site is shallow, dredging cost * May involve cost to mitigate impacts on * The water depth is sufficient for likely to be high. the nearby villages. berthing large container vessels, * Close to dolphin habitats and involve * Close to dolphin habitats and involve minimal maintenance dredging will be mitigation cost to minimize injuries to mitigation cost to minimize injuries to needed. the dolphins. the dolphins. * Cost of providing connecting road, * Cost of providing connecting road, services and utilities subject to further services and utilities subject to further studies. studies. Unemployment * The port contributes 2.7% of Hong * The port contributes 2.7% of Hong * The port contributes 2.7% of Hong Rate Kong’s employment directly. Kong’s employment directly. Kong’s employment directly. Construction of port facilities and Construction of port facilities and Construction of port facilities and 4

SW Tsing Yi NW Lantau W Tuen Mun related infrastructure would also related infrastructure would also related infrastructure would also provide job opportunities. The provide job opportunities. The provide job opportunities. The comparative performance of the 3 comparative performance of the 3 comparative performance of the 3 sites, however, is subject to further sites, however, is subject to further sites, however, is subject to further studies. studies. studies. Fixed Capital * Comparative performance on fixed * Comparative performance on fixed * Comparative performance on fixed Formation capital formation subject to further capital formation subject to further capital formation subject to further studies. studies. studies. Planning and Lands Consideration Planning Issues * Compatible with nearby/adjacent uses. * Would have visual impacts on tourist * This site is generally characterised by * According to preliminary layout, attractions of the area including Tai O, its rural nature, with isolated industrial reclamation for the new port would be the cable car and planned tourism development, i.e. Castle Peak and located outside the . facilities near Ngong Ping station. Black Point Power Stations. * Development of connecting roads may impact on the residential communities in Tuen Mun. Lands Issues * The site is presently occupied by oil * The port would be built on an artificial * The port would be built on reclamation, terminal facilities, ship repair yards and island, no private land involved. but development of connecting roads other industrial-type land uses. Some may affect private lots. will need to be re-provisioned before new container terminals can be accommodated. Need time to resolve the constraints posed by existing users. Environmental and Ecological Consideration Air and Noise * Air and noise impacts would be further * The site is characterised by its rural * There are ASRs / NSRs (e.g. Pak studied. This site is in a city centre nature, the nearest Air Sensitive Long, Lung Tsui) immediately adjacent with high numbers of residents. Receivers (ASRs) / Noise Sensitive to the site. Prevailing winds may help 5

SW Tsing Yi NW Lantau W Tuen Mun Receivers (NSRs) are at Tai O. to carry emissions away from the Transmission of impacts is obscured to ASRs. some extent by the local topography. * The location is closer to the boundary Air and noise impacts to be further and hence may help to minimize studied. trucking movements.

Water Quality * Reclamation would be required. * The site would form an offshore island * To provide sufficient land for the Existing water quality is low, which to the northwest of Tai O. Existing development, reclamation between makes this site less sensitive to water quality is high. Water Sensitive Castle Peak and Black Point Power change. However, the site is in close Receivers (WSRs) in the area include Stations would be required. Existing proximity to the Harbour Area the secondary contact recreation sub- water quality is moderate. Waters in Treatment Scheme (HATS) outfall. zone at Tai O. this location are heavily influenced by * Water quality modelling would be * Water quality modelling would be freshwaters from the Pearl River and carried out to examine the water quality carried out to examine the impacts of characteristically have high baseline impacts. port development and the mitigation sediment levels rendering them less measures required. sensitive to change. Ecological * The coastal waters off west Tsing Yi * The epifauna community is diverse in * The area to the south and southwest, may hold some ecological value, bays along the Northwest Lantau particularly around and Lung although no species of particular coastline. The area is an important Kwu Chau Marine Park, is an important ecological or conservation importance spawning ground for commercially spawning and nursery area for a range are anticipated. valuable fish and crustaceans, with a of commercially valuable fish and * The water off south-west Tsing Yi are defined area of spawning importance to crustacean species. not known to be of any particular the north. * Waters around Sha Chau, Pak Chau fisheries value, although there may be * The port would be developed on an and are designated some linkage with more important artificial island. The natural coastlines Marine Park. fisheries areas to the South. Impacts in NW Lantau, with high ecological and of port development subject to further archaeological value would be 6

SW Tsing Yi NW Lantau W Tuen Mun studies. protected. * Impact on North Lantau Country Park due to road infrastructure development could be minimized through proper land use and road infrastructure design e.g. bored tunnel. Waste * Site decontamination required. * NW Lantau option requires large * Fill materials required for this option * Dredged mud would need to be quantity of fill materials and hence is are capable of providing capacity for disposed of at designated capable of providing relatively large C&D material disposal. contaminated mud pits. capacity for C&D material disposal. * Fairway dredging requirement subject * If sufficient time can be allowed, * Fairway dredging requirement for the to further studies. reclamation related to port NW Lantau option is expected to be * Sediments are generally development could provide an large. uncontaminated. additional outlet for disposal of * Sediments are generally construction and demolition (C&D) uncontaminated, any dredged mud materials. SW Tsing Yi option requires could be disposed of to open sea the smallest quantity of fill materials. disposal sites. On the other hand, dredging of fairway would consume the capacity of the disposal ground, fairway dredging requirement for SW Tsing Yi is relatively small.

Landscape, * Whilst the extent of reclamation is not * Existing landscape character is remote * The existing landscape character in Heritage and yet known, the existing land-use in this and exposed, characterised by open this area is remote and exposed, Others area is compatible with further port seascapes as well as the natural characterised by open seascapes but development without significant coastline and uplands of . with isolated major industrial impacts to landscape character. Future terminal there would be visible development. 7

SW Tsing Yi NW Lantau W Tuen Mun * Further environmental impacts due to to tourists, hikers and pleasure craft * May impact on the nearby historical re-provisioning of existing users subject users. Views are also possible from buildings and the Lung Kwu Sheung to further studies. Northwest New Territories, although Tan Archaeological site. the number of Visual Sensitive Archaeological sites and monuments Recievers (VSRs) in this area is should be identified in the detailed limited. planning stage and avoided as appropriate. Transport Consideration Transport * Can make use of the existing and * Access road needed to connect to the * Strategic road access to this site would Planning planned transport infrastructure for CT9 existing North Lantau Highway. rely on availability of strategic linkages e.g. Route 9. Direct and convenient * Connection with the western PRD such as the proposed Tuen Mun Port access to the Mainland through the would be greatly enhanced by the Expressway, Tuen Mun Southern existing Route 3, Shenzhen Western HZMB. Bypass, Tuen Mun Western Corridor (SWC), and Hong Kong – * Connecting road has to be properly Bypass,etc. Zhuhai – Macao Bridge(HZMB). planned to minimise impacts of freight * Located close to existing and future Additional transport infrastructure vehicles passing scenic coastal areas boundary crossing points and traffic requirement subject to further studies. and residential communities of Tung from this site does not have to * Within easy reach of existing container Chung. transverse urban roads to access these terminals and port-related industries. * Additional transport infrastructure cross-boundary points. * Impacts of additional port-related traffic requirement subject to further studies. to the Kwai Chung area subject to further studies. Marine Consideration Marine Impact * Water depth greater than –15mCD, * Draw off marine traffic from the existing * Close to and cargo access dredging would be limited. hub of the Western Harbour, ease source in PRD. * Berthing and unberthing operations traffic conflicts at critical fairway and * Draw off marine traffic from the existing would require vessels to be minimize potential impacts on existing hub of the Western Harbour. 8

SW Tsing Yi NW Lantau W Tuen Mun manoeuvred with the fast current traffic streams. * Exposed to waves and swells. regime of the Channel. * Near to the cargo source in PRD. * Navigation to the site would be via the * Concentration of marine traffic in the * Significant dredging of marine access West Lamma Channel, Ma Wan and Kwai Chung/Tsing Yi area, marine channel may be required. Urmston Road. The capacity of the Ma impact and mitigation measures * Marine impacts and mitigation Wan Channel is a key constraint, in requirement subject to further review. measures requirement subject to particular to large vessels. * Close to existing operations at Kwai further review. * Marine impacts and mitigation Chung Basin. measures subject to further review. Port Planning and Programming Port Planning * Re-provisioning of existing users and * Significant road infrastructure will need * Significant road infrastructure will need and site decontamination would take to be built. In addition, possible public to be built. Programming additional time and cost, imposing oppositions on environmental and other * Marine access improvement would uncertainties on development grounds will affect implementation depend on the Tonggu Waterway programme. programme. which the implementation programme * Design of port layout constrained by is uncertain. the Airport Height Restrictions * Possible public oppositions on environmental and other grounds will affect implementation programme. Other Considerations Social * Objections may be raised due to the * Objections may be raised, particularly * Objections may be raised on traffic, Consideration possible increase in port traffic in the on environmental grounds. environmental and other grounds. area.