Officials said the redeveloped Huanggang port’s opening went smoothly on Monday morning, with Chief Secretary Eric Chan expecting a relatively quiet first day so staff can prepare to handle more travellers in future. Speaking to reporters, Chan said he doesn't expect the port to be too busy on the day of its opening, which will give staff time to familiarise themselves with operations at the facility. "There’s a reason we chose today to open. The National Day holiday has just ended. Today, we believe there will be fewer visitors, so everyone has time to get familiar with the operations. We hope that by the time the next peak arrives, our colleagues will be fully used to it. That’s the best approach," he said. Chan added that if the new "collaborative inspection and joint clearance" model works well, the government will consider extending it to other border checkpoints. Secretary for Security Chris Tang said more than 5,000 people used the redeveloped Huanggang port in the first two hours after it opened at 6.30am – a 60 percent increase compared with before its renovation. Nearly 1,000 vehicles also passed through, up 30 percent. He said all the self-service "collaborative inspection" channels are working normally, and passengers can go straight through without waiting. As for vehicles using the joint one-stop lane, waiting times are under five minutes, he added. Tang said a joint command centre set up with Shenzhen authorities will help keep operations running smoothly on both sides of the border. "For the joint operation room between Shenzhen and Hong Kong authorities, we will operate as long as it’s necessary, in particular during high peak season, for example on weekends or during the Apec conference. We’ll ensure that we’ll have sufficient manpower... We are ready to take the challenge," he said. Transport chief Mable Chan said public transport carried more than 3,000 people to and from Huanggang port in the first two hours of operations. The secretary for transport and logistics said contingency plans are in place ahead of the travel rush expected over the upcoming Chung Yeung Festival long weekend. "We will not underestimate the challenge to be brought about in the coming long weekend. So, we have already agreed with the police to arrange a public transport cover area, which is very near to this new Huanggang boundary control point," she said. "We can arrange some emergency and contingency arrangements and stacking of franchised buses, minibuses and even taxis in the buffer area. We can accommodate around 200 vehicles there." As of 5pm, more than 42,200 passenger trips were recorded at the redeveloped port, with vehicle flow exceeding 5,700. _____________________________ Last updated: 2026-10-12 HKT 22:26 Edited by Edmond Fong