The passenger ferry service between Macau’s Inner Harbour and Wanzai in Zhuhai was resumed yesterday morning after a 5-month suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Macau Customs Service announced the reopening of the Macau-Wanzai ferry in a statement on Tuesday.
According to the statement, the operating hours of the passenger ferry service are between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. The statement said that for the first 14-days, the service will be running every hour. After 14 days, if there are no obvious problems, the service will run every 30 minutes, the statement added. The statement also said that if the operation goes smoothly, at a suitable time, the passenger ferry service will recommence running every 15 minutes as it used to before the suspension.
In order to board this five-minute ferry ride from Macau to Wanzai, the statement noted that one needs to have obtained a negativeCOVID-19 test result within the seven days prior to travelling, adding that the passengers also need to convert the Macau Health Code to the Guangdong Health Code before boarding the vessel.
The Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA) said in a separate statement on Wednesday that it had asked the ferry operation company to clean and disinfect the ferry terminal thoroughly. The statement also reminded passengers to wear their facemasks during the ferry ride.
The passenger ferry service between the Inner Harbour Ferry Terminal and the Wanzai checkpoint had been suspended twice. The first time was on January 17, 2016, after the Wanzai checkpoint was officially classified as a dangerous building. The ferry service was only resumed on January 23 this year after a 4-year hiatus. However, the ferry was suspended again in late March due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Macau and Zhuhai residents enjoy a discounted fare: A one-way ticket from Macau to Wanzai costs 20 patacas, while a round-trip ticket departing from Macau costs 30 patacas. A one-way ticket from Wanzai to Macau costs 15 yuan (17.20 patacas), while a ticket for a round trip departing from Wanzai costs 25 yuan.
A ferry sails from Macau’s Inner Harbour to Zhuhai’s Wanzai port yesterday morning. – Courtesy TDM
