2025 Lunar New Year fireworks display

28 Jan 2025 / Hong Kong

A fireworks display will take place in the Central Harbour, in an area off Wan Chai, at 2000 hours on Thursday, 30 January 2025 (“the event”).

The fireworks will be discharged from three barges anchored off the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC).

It is anticipated that a large number of spectator vessels will gather in the Central Harbour to view the display. Pursuant to Part 10A of the Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) (General) Regulation (Cap. 548F) with regard to the Requirements Relating to Passenger Safety during Major Events at Sea, a Specified Area will be established in the Central Harbour.

The Specified Area comprising a Restricted Area and a Closed Area is formed by the shoreline of both sides of the Victoria Harbour and straight lines joining the following co-ordinates (WGS 84 Datum) from (A) to (C) as the western boundary; and from (D) to (E) as the eastern boundary:
(A) 22° 17.915’N / 114° 09.490’E
(B) 22° 17.406’N / 114° 09.267’E
(C) 22° 17.266’N / 114° 09.227’E
(D) 22° 18.011’N / 114° 11.368’E
(E) 22° 17.476’N / 114° 11.541’E

The Closed Area is formed by four straight lines joining the following positions (WGS 84 Datum):
(1) 22° 17.383’N 114° 10.608’E
(2) 22° 17.218’N 114° 10.608’E
(3) 22° 17.218’N 114° 10.060’E
(4) 22° 17.383’N 114° 10.060’E

Within the Closed Area, three barges (a) to (c) for the discharge of fireworks will be anchored in a straight line at the following positions (WGS 84 Datum):
(a) 22° 17.290’N / 114° 10.162’E
(b) 22° 17.290’N / 114° 10.346’E
(c) 22° 17.290’N / 114° 10.501’E

The Closed Area will be closed to all marine traffic, except craft directly involved in the fireworks display, Government launches and vessels with special permission from the Director of Marine (to be collectively called excepted vessels) during the period between 1400 hours and about 2230 hours on 30 January 2025.

A Restricted Area will also be established in the Central Harbour with the following details:

(i) The Eastern Cordon Line (ECL) of the Restricted Area is a straight line joining the south extremity of MTR Hung Hom Freight Terminal Pier and the breakwater at Kellett Island, Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club. The Western Cordon Line (WCL) of the Restricted Area is a straight line joining the southwest extremity of the Ocean Terminal and the Central Government Pier.

(ii) No vessels, other than excepted vessels, will be allowed to enter or remain within the Restricted Area during the period from 1900 hours to about 2100 hours on 30 January 2025.

Other than the Closed Area and the Restricted Area, spectator vessels are allowed to enter or remain in the remaining water areas of the Specified Area during the period from 1800 hours to 2100 hours (“specified period”) on 30 January 2025. These vessels shall comply with the requirements of the marine traffic control measures with details given in the Annex to this Notice…

…To prevent speeding and minimize head-on encounters of vessels after the fireworks display, the WCL and ECL of the Restricted Area will be lifted at stagger time, i.e. the WCL will be lifted at about 2100 hours on 30 January 2025 and the ECL will be lifted later depending on the traffic condition in the Central Harbour. It is anticipated that the Restricted Area will be completely lifted at about 2115 hours on 30 January 2025.

To facilitate the landside crowd control, the public landing steps No.1, 2, 3 at Kowloon Public Pier will be closed from 1800 hours to about 2100 hours on 30 January 2025 and the public landing steps No.4, 5, 6 will be closed from 0600 hours on 30 January 2025 to about 0000 hours on 31 January 2025. The other public landing steps within the Restricted Area will be closed from 1830 hours to about 2100 hours on 30 January 2025.

In the event of inclement weather and emergency, the fireworks display may be postponed to the fallback date of Friday, 31 January 2025, at 2000 hours, with the same control measures as aforementioned.

(For information about operations in Hong Kong, contact GAC Hong Kong at [email protected])

Source: Government of the Hong Kong Marine Department Notice No.14/2025

If quoting any content from Hot Port News, please cite GAC Hot Port News as the source.