Shenzhen’s Port Office has issued a notice that a joint Hong Kong-Shenzhen firefighting drill will take place inside the Huanggang Port clearance building from 21:00 to 22:30 on Friday, 18 September. During the exercise, fire engines and rescue teams will assemble on both sides of the boundary, and travellers are advised to follow on-site instructions. Although the drill occurs outside peak hours, logistics firms that rely on late-night truck crossings for e-commerce parcels could face short hold-ups. Cross-boundary coach operators told Global Mobility News they will reroute the 21:15 and 22:00 services via Shenzhen Bay Port. Port-pass card-holders should allow extra time for immigration and customs formalities, which will remain open but may funnel passengers through fewer counters. The exercise is part of a quarterly programme agreed by Hong Kong Customs & Excise and Shenzhen Fire Services to test joint-response protocols before the expected surge in Golden-Week traffic. Scenarios will include evacuation of 300 simulated passengers and the handling of hazardous cargo in the bus bay. Results feed into the Port Office’s Key Performance Indicators on average clearance times, which have been trimmed from 30 to 22 minutes this year. Corporate mobility teams should update driver briefings and, where feasible, shift high-value or temperature-sensitive loads to earlier time slots. Staff returning to Hong Kong after mainland meetings should check the “e-Channel” app for real-time queue data and consider Lo Wu or Futian/Lok Ma Chau pedestrian crossings as alternatives.
Source: Shenzhen Port Office
