Wong had previously revealed that ferry operators have dismissed at least half of their workforce, either due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on their operations or reduced traffic after the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge.

“During the pandemic, we followed the situation and the number of vessels and employees in the sector. Companies adjusted their employee conditions, via non-paid live and dismissal of non-technical personnel. We have followed these issues and the operators followed the concession contracts and labour requirements,” Wong said today.

However, Wong was not able to provide an exact number of the dismissed workers, stating only that they were mainly from Hong Kong, Mainland China and Macau, and underlining the companies would look to safeguard positions held by local workers.

Ferry operators were also required by DSAMA to have enough personnel to allow a possible reinstatement of previous routes operated by them.

The statements were made during the presentation of a new administrative regulation today, which will reduce limitations on the registration of maritime passenger transport vessels, allowing vessels registered, either in Mainland China, in Macau or Hong Kong, to explore maritime passenger transport routes in Macau.

The changes will allow for possible boat tours departing from Mainland China and Hong Kong to travel to Macau SAR waters and intends to help develop maritime tourism in the area and explore and open new tourist routes between Macau and the neighbouring cities or islands.

“At the moment we have not received any application for new ferry companies wanting to operate in Macau. A Shenzhen company intends to operate a route in the west side of Pearl River Delta but no application has been made yet,” Wong noted.