Bridge customs clearance designed to go smoothly

Efficient customs clearance procedures for up to 7,000 vehicles daily will ensure smooth transits at the Zhuhai Border Checkpoint of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, a project head has announced.

The soon-to-be-completed passenger-cargo land border crossing will be the only one of its kind in the Pearl River Delta.

Fulfilling traffic and management functions as well as rescues and sightseeing, the border-crossing complex encompasses passenger (Zhuhai-Hong Kong and Zhuhai-Macao) and cargo inspections, port offices, municipal and transportation support facilities, and transportation corridors.

Panorama of Zhuhai Border Checkpoint [Photo by Chen Xinnian / Zhuhai Daily]

The Zhuhai-Macao Border Crossing Facilities, one of the two buildings for cross-border passenger inspection, has a floorage of 42,900 sq m across three levels. The second and third floors hold exit and arrival halls. The first floor towers over passenger coach exits and truck and cargo inspection, and is also used to check departing motorists from its 3.2-m mezzanine.

Another pioneering measure is that the Chinese mainland and Macao working tables are placed "back to back" under a joint inspection system. It is the first such practice in the country and saves much time in customs clearance, according to Zhang Juanjuan, a manager in the company that built the Zhuhai Border Checkpoint.

An overhead corridor is in place to connect the building with the other inspection area where those traveling between Zhuhai and Hong Kong go through customs procedures. The 20,000-sq-m four-story building has a floor space of 168,100 sq m. The first floor accommodates equipment rooms and a waiting lounge for those leaving Hong Kong. The second and third floors are used for arrival and exit services. The underground floor has a staff parking lot.

Rendering of an aerial view

Not including a 3.5-m mezzanine for equipment installation, the transportation corridor has four floors -- three above ground and one below. The first floor is essentially an overhead layer spanning Hong Kong's inbound vehicle inspection area and has a hall serving passengers. The second floor offers a commercial purchasing area for arrivals; the third is for those exiting the corridor. The underground floor connects to the car park.

To enhance efficiency, a "one stop" customs clearance mode will be adopted through which information related to vehicles and drivers will be collected, converged, and shared. Electronic signals will be sent to all inspection departments to keep crossing channels open and clear. To achieve this digital network, each of the 18 passenger-car clearance inspection channels and four bus channels has 12 monitoring points.

West of the passenger inspection areas is the Zhuhai-side transportation center, which has one underground and four higher floors. Passengers will be distributed from the first two floors. Hong Kong and Macao inbound passengers will directly reach the second floor before getting to the first level which is empty and allows easy access to buses and taxis. 

Zhuhai Border Checkpoint [Photos provided by Gree Real Estate]