Editor's note: The "Explore Guangdong along coastline" event was officially launched on October 30, 2023, guided by the Cyberspace Administration of China and hosted by the Cyberspace Administration of the Guangdong Provincial Committee. From October 30 to November 5, more than 100 journalists from central and provincial key media outlets, along with experts, scholars in the field of marine economy, and renowned vloggers, embarked on a journey to explore Guangdong's 14 coastal cities through three routes: East, West, and Central.
As a coastal city in Guangdong with a colossal port, Dongguan was one of the key cities visited during this media tour. Dongguan sun0769 Net and DongguanToday were invited to participate in this event and will be releasing a series of reports to show Guangdong's maritime strength.
On October 31, a media delegation participating in the "Explore Guangdong along the coastline" event arrived in Shenzhen to gain in-depth insights into the city's continually expanding and flourishing maritime industry. Shenzhen, a city adjacent to Hong Kong and Macau, facing the South China Sea, boasts an extensive maritime area of 1,145 square kilometers, a coastline stretching 260 kilometers, and 51 islands. These unique geographical advantages set it apart in the maritime domain. In recent years, Shenzhen has accelerated comprehensive maritime development, continually optimizing its maritime spatial development, transitioning and upgrading traditional industries, fostering the growth of emerging industries, and witnessing the rising prominence of the "blue economy," contributing vibrancy and significance to high-quality development at the city and provincial levels. In 2022, Shenzhen's maritime GDP grew by 3.9%, accounting for 9.7% of the city's GDP.
Located in Shenzhen's Nanshan district, the Shekou International Cruise Homeport is China's largest modern international cruise terminal and the first with international transfer capabilities. It operates direct routes to various destinations in the Pearl River Delta and multiple cruise routes covering countries and regions such as Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Singapore. Since its opening in 2016, it has welcomed over 30.8 million visitors, including more than 1.03 million cruise passengers.
In recent years, aligning with the development of the Greater Bay Area, the Shekou Cruise Homeport has actively explored cultural tourism routes. The "Impression the Greater Bay Area from the Sea" project highlights a cultural tourism route spanning 55 kilometers along the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. This project aims to become a benchmark for the Greater Bay Area and a new brand for high-end maritime cultural tourism in Shenzhen. Overseas media delegations boarded "Greater Bay Area II" to witness the breathtaking views of the Pearl River Estuary, passing through the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, providing a close-up view of the "Sea Skyline" spanning the vast Lingdingyang.
"Being able to see the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge up close and crossing it on a cruise is a marvelous feeling. The bridge is spectacular and makes us proud. The cruise offers music shows, magic performances, and a marine culture experience area – the entire cruise experience is fantastic!" remarked Qi Jigé, a journalist from Macau Monthly.
At the port's service building, many passengers arrived to handle "pre-registration" services, streamlining their embarkation process. According to on-site staff, the pre-registration service at Hong Kong International Airport officially started in September 2003. Passengers can complete all registration procedures for the entire journey from Hong Kong to their destination countries before boarding the ship at Shekou Cruise Homeport. The journey from here to Hong Kong International Airport takes only about 30 minutes, providing convenience and efficiency.
