Head of tourism calls for two terminals

Authorities have proposed the relocation or closure of the Outer Harbour terminal but the Government Tourist Office director believes the structure should remain where it is

The territory should maintain two ferry terminals in operation, as well as keep the location of the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal, the director of the Macau Government and Tourist Office, João Costa Antunes, said yesterday.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the MGTO’s annual press conference, he said: “I believe that we should keep the two entry points, but also diversify [their operation] more. That’s a work of coordination that should be done by the carriers.”
Antunes said that, unlike the Macau International Airport, the Outer Harbour terminal has no limits regarding tracks.
“The pier allows simultaneous arrivals, which creates a complicated management for the migration services and a big pressure on the personnel,” he said.
“With a better coordination of arrivals and departures it will be possible to solve those technical problems,” he stressed.
Many people have criticised the long queues and slow migration processing at the ferry terminal, which has been worsened by the soaring number of visitor arrivals.
Last year, several voices publicly protested against the possible move of the ferry piers to Cotai, including the Macau Chamber of Commerce and businessman and former lawmaker David Chow Kam Fai.
According to a survey launched by Chow, over 60,000 residents are against the move. On the contrary, urban planning experts support the terminal relocation.
The government proposed four alternatives: relocate the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal to the southern part of the artificial island located in plot A; shut the terminal altogether and rely on the future Pac On terminal in Taipa; build a new terminal at the offshore artificial island that will host the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge border crossing; renovate the existing terminal.
In the meantime, the Maritime Administration announced that renovation work at the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal will begin in the third quarter of 2012 and last for at least one year.
The local government resumed full control of the terminal last month, as the  concession contract with gaming operator Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau expired.

A.L.