All ferry services between Macau and Hong Kong were suspended from midnight last night,but ferries are still running between Macau’s Inner Harbour and Zhuhai’s Wanzai as well as between Macau and Shenzhen.
Turbojet and Cotaijet that operate daily ferry services between both Macau and Taipaand the Shun Tak Centre in Hong Kong yesterday evening both said that sailings would be suspended at midnight until further notice, following the Hong Kong government’s announcement yesterday afternoon that it was closing its checkpoints at the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan, as well as Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau which both connect to the mainland via the MTR.
The closing of the checkpoints is part of Hong Kong government’s measures to battle a wider outbreak of the novel coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province.
Yesterday’s move means that only the checkpoints at the Hong Kong International Airport,Shenzhen Bay and Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) remain open.
Prior to the Hong Kong government’s announcement, Macau’s Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA) said in a statement yesterday that all passengers travelling on ferries are required to wear facemasks, urging the public to stay alert about precautionarymeasures and cancel any unnecessary trips to reduce the risk of spreading the novel coronavirus.
But after the announcement, the bureau said in a follow-up statement, quoting the Hong Kong government’s measure, that all ferries running between Macau and Hong Kong would be suspended from midnight except the airport route.
Then later in another statement, the bureau said that the suspension of ferry services includes the airport route.
Whilethe government has been urging the public not to travel between Macau and Zhuhai after a local woman, who had been to Zhuhai, tested positive for the virus, ferry services between the Inner Harbour and Wanzai as well as between Macau and Shenzhen are still running as usual.
