New Year Countdown Celebration

The New Year Countdown Celebration which consists of a fireworks and pyrotechnic display will take place around midnight on the New Year’s Eve, 31 December, and last for about 8 minutes.

The fireworks will be discharged from 3 barges and 12 pontoons anchored off the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), and from 1 vessel and 3 pontoons anchored off Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) respectively. The pyrotechnics will be discharged from the roof top of 7 buildings on Hong Kong Island.

Two Closed Areas, encompassing the craft anchored off HKCEC and TST to stage the aforesaid waterborne fireworks display, will be established with the following details:

CLOSED AREA 1
(i) The area is formed by four straight lines joining the following positions (WGS 84 Datum) between 1400 hours on 31 December 2015 and about 0500 hours on 1 January 2016:
1) 22 deg. 17.360’N / 114 deg. 10.068’E
2) 22 deg. 17.360’N / 114 deg. 10.662’E
3) 22 deg. 17.192’N / 114 deg. 10.662’E
4) 22 deg. 17.192’N / 114 deg. 10.068’E

(ii) The 3 barges and 12 pontoons for discharging fireworks will be anchored at the following positions (WGS 84 Datum):
(a) 22 deg. 17.279’N / 114 deg. 10.265’E (barge)
(b) 22 deg. 17.279’N / 114 deg. 10.405’E (barge)
(c) 22 deg. 17.279’N / 114 deg. 10.529’E (barge)
(d) 22 deg. 17.273’N / 114 deg. 10.152’E (pontoon)
(e) 22 deg. 17.275’N / 114 deg. 10.179’E (pontoon)
(f) 22 deg. 17.277’N / 114 deg. 10.206’E (pontoon)
(g) 22 deg. 17.277’N / 114 deg. 10.265’E (pontoon)
(h) 22 deg. 17.275’N / 114 deg. 10.292’E (pontoon)
(i) 22 deg. 17.273’N / 114 deg. 10.319’E (pontoon)
(j) 22 deg. 17.273’N / 114 deg. 10.405’E (pontoon)
(k) 22 deg. 17.275’N / 114 deg. 10.432’E (pontoon)
(l) 22 deg. 17.277’N / 114 deg. 10.459’E (pontoon)
(m) 22 deg. 17.277’N / 114 deg. 10.529’E (pontoon)
(n) 22 deg. 17.275’N / 114 deg. 10.556’E (pontoon)
(o) 22 deg. 17.273’N / 114 deg. 10.583’E (pontoon)

CLOSED AREA 2
(i) The area is formed by four straight lines joining the following positions (WGS 84 Datum) between 2300 hours on 31 December 2015 and about 0100 hours on 1 January 2016:
1) 22 deg. 17.559’N / 114 deg. 10.090’E
2) 22 deg. 17.559’N / 114 deg. 10.434’E
3) 22 deg. 17.397’N / 114 deg. 10.434’E
4) 22 deg. 17.397’N / 114 deg. 10.090’E

(ii) The vessel and 3 pontoons for discharging fireworks will be anchored at the following positions (WGS 84 Datum):
(p) 22 deg. 17.478’N / 114 deg. 10.181’E (pontoon)
(q) 22 deg. 17.478’N / 114 deg. 10.234’E (pontoon)
(r) 22 deg. 17.478’N / 114 deg. 10.289’E (pontoon)
(s) 22 deg. 17.277’N / 114 deg. 10.343’E (vessel)

The pontoons, vessel and barges staying inside the Closed Areas are connected by wire ropes illuminated by LED lights. The Closed Areas will be closed to all marine traffic except craft directly involved in the fireworks display.

A Restricted Area will be established in the Central Harbour from 2300 hours on 31 December 2015 to about 0100 hours on 1 January 2016 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 vessel will be allowed to enter or remain within the Restricted Area except craft directly involved in the fireworks and pyrotechnic display, government launches and vessels with special permission from the Director of Marine.

To prevent speeding and minimize head-on encounters of vessels after the fireworks and pyrotechnic display, the WCL and ECL of the Restricted Area will be lifted at stagger time, i.e. the WCL will be lifted at about 0100 hours on 1 January 2016 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 0115 hours on 1 January 2016.

To facilitate the landside crowd control, all the public landing steps at Kowloon Public Pier will be closed from 2200 hours on 31 December 2015 to about 0100 hours on 1 January 2016.

Special marine traffic control measures for the New Year Countdown Celebration will be executed.

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

Source: Government of Hong Kong SAR Marine Department Notice N0.174 of 2015