OPINION – Ten years on – Whither the MSAR’s maritime economy?

By José Luís de Sales Marques

Macau’s maritime economy became a promising phenomenon after the Central Government granted in 2015 eighty-five square kilometres of maritime area to be under the jurisdiction of the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR). To be more precise, jurisdiction here means administration and not possession because, as is well known, water resources belong to the country and are under the central control of Beijing.

Ten years on, and not much has been said about the current and future prospects for that maritime area, even if Macau, with all its historical legacy as a maritime city and a former fishing port with an extended waterfront, seems to have all the ingredients to develop into a successful maritime tourist destination.

Law no. 07/2018 established the legal framework for the management of that area, with provisions under its article 10) for the development of the maritime economy. It gave way to the “Functional Maritime Zoning and Maritime Areas Plan” in June 2024. The plan includes zoning for the purposes of maritime tourism, maritime sports, oceanic culture and regional cooperation, and establishes two stages for development: the first one, scheduled to finish by the end of the current year, is expected to “fully develop the unique features of Macau for the maritime economy”. The second stage will last from 2026 to 2040, presumably allowing for the fulfilment of its full objectives.

Moreover, the Greater Bay Area Development Plan, released in 2019, in its section IV), also paid attention to the development of the maritime economy, including support for Macau to devise a medium- to long-term plan for the implementation of the maritime tourism industry, marine technology and marine biology. Hence, it would be reasonable to expect that, by now, some of the main features of the said economy would be visible and contributing to the region’s diversification drive.

To be fair, there were some attempts to develop sailing excursions along the Pearl River, connecting Coloane with nearby Nansha, but those trips were apparently suspended due to visa issues or there simply was not enough demand. There are also new marine sports activities, such as the international regatta at Hac Sa Bay, and concerts at the beach area. However, those are seasonal events, which may attract extra visitation for a few days, but they do not seriously contribute to the overall regular tourist experience of Macau.

What Macau needs are short-term solutions—projects that can be implemented and made operational in two to three years’ time—that will diversify its tourism and entertainment offering in coastal and maritime attractions. These should aim to extend the average length of stay and widen the scope of offerings to locals and tourists, while upgrading urban areas that are underused or in some state of decay

For instance, coastal al fresco dining areas, with restaurants, cafés and bars, where locals and tourists alike can spend some hours enjoying the view of fishing boats and ships sailing in and out of the harbour, while having a wonderful meal and listening to relaxing live music, should probably already be in place or, at least, on the drawing board. But nothing has happened so far.

Even this year’s policy address, which is being praised for its innovative and forward-looking features, has fallen short on matters related to the maritime economy. There are, certainly, references, plans and projects in regard to airport expansion, land reclamation, the so-called ecological island, and environmentally related initiatives that are taking place or will happen in the marine environment and coastal areas under the management of the region’s maritime authority. However, those infrastructural projects and green endeavours will either have an impact in the future, such as the airport expansion, or are mostly addressing local needs—despite their own merit.

To be fair, we understand that the task ahead is not simple. For a start, most of Macau’s coastline of about eighty kilometres is surrounded by shallow water, is man-made, eventually polluted, and therefore of limited usage for some activities, such as fishing and swimming. There are several infrastructures and navigation sea lanes that occupy a good deal of the maritime area under the MSAR’s jurisdiction.

Significant new investments in the surrounding sea require technical know-how and operational expertise that are presently unavailable in the region. What Macau needs are short-term solutions—projects that can be implemented and made operational in two to three years’ time—that will diversify its tourism and entertainment offering in coastal and maritime attractions. These should aim to extend the average length of stay and widen the scope of offerings to locals and tourists, while upgrading urban areas that are underused or in some state of decay.

These are solutions that carry a sense of urgency, since it is obvious that much is going on in the launch of new cultural and commercial projects on the waterfront in nearby cities. For instance, Hong Kong is seeking proposals to revamp the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal to host non-cruise and off-season events. West Kowloon is already a sure win.

Some recent developments—such as the Barra Pier and Naval Shipyard as well as the Lai Chi Vun old shipyards by IR companies—are still at a very early stage and small-scale propositions with potential, but with structural issues. The most important of these is their proximity to residential areas. All promoters of outdoor entertainment and musical events in Macau know about the inconveniences of such locations: the law is tough, and local sensitivities to noise pollution are very high.

Therefore, areas that are far away from residential districts are best suited for the implementation of these projects. Fisherman’s Wharf has most of those features, including good infrastructure and a marina, but somehow it is yet to realise its full potential.

The Macau Tower and surrounding waterfront have occasionally been used for outdoor events, but could further diversify their entertainment and food offerings. The Macau Ferry Terminal and the Taipa Ferry Terminal have the best locations with excellent parking capacity, but they will need to be repositioned in order to attract investment in the food and entertainment business and to embark on serious marketing efforts.

Both ferry terminals are almost empty throughout the day, and alternative uses would bring them back to life, improve their economic feasibility, and contribute valuable assets to daily life in Macau. Moreover, they could provide an extra incentive for using those facilities to launch new river tour programmes or boat trips to other cities of the Greater Bay Area.