KLN Logistics has told HKFP that a vehicle bearing the firm’s logo, which was spotted filling up at an alleged illegal fuelling site in Kwai Chung last week, was operated by a subcontractor.

An HKFP reader spotted the driver of the truck refuelling on Kwai Wo Street at around 10.30am on Thursday and shared photos of the incident.

In response to HKFP’s enquiry, a spokesperson for KLN Logistics – previously known as Kerry Logistics – said on Friday that “it was confirmed upon our investigation that the truck shown in the photo was operated by a subcontractor.”

The spokesperson added, “As we understand, the concerned subcontractor has already filed reports with relevant law enforcement authorities about the incident. If required, KLN will fully cooperate with the authorities’ investigation but in the meantime, we are not in a position to disclose any further details.”

The incident in Kwai Chung occurred weeks after authorities launched a crackdown on illicit fuel amid soaring petrol prices due to the war in the Middle East.

According to a Customs and Excise Department press release on Wednesday, law enforcement mounted a territory-wide joint operation codenamed “Knockout” targeting illicit fuel activities from April 13 to 30.

“Officers of Customs, the FSD [Fire Services Department] and the Police detected 19 related cases, and seized more than 21,000 litres of illicit fuel, 15 vehicles and one speedboat with an estimated market value of about $3.3 million. A total of 27 persons were arrested,” it said.

The operation shut down “five illicit mobile motor spirit fuelling stations in Lok Fu, Kowloon Bay, Wong Tai Sin, Kai Tak and Tsing Yi,” it added.

On Thursday, HK01 reported on several illegal refuelling sites in Kwai Chung, with a number of prosecutions taking place.

HKFP has reached out to customs and police for comment.

Soaring fuel costs

The standard price of unleaded petrol as of Monday is HK$32.54 per litre, according to the Consumer Council.

See also: Hong Kong sees ‘sharp rise’ in illegal fuel trading amid surging oil prices

Hong Kong has the highest petrol prices in the world, according to globalpetrolprices.com statistics dated March 30, giving rise to unlawful makeshift filling stations.

Last month, Hong Kong rolled out subsidies for diesel-powered public and commercial vehicles, as fuel costs soared worldwide over the US and Israel’s war on Iran and the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane.

Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109), offences connected to the dealing with, possession of, selling or buying of illicit motor spirit attract a maximum penalty of HK$1 million and imprisonment for two years.

It is also an offence under the Fire Services (Fire Hazard Abatement) Regulation (Cap. 95F) to possess or control any controlled substance for the business purpose of transferring it into vehicle fuel tanks. Repeat offenders face a fine of up to HK$200,000 and imprisonment for one year.

Smugglers, meanwhile, face a maximum fine of HK$2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

The Hong Kong government has announced a series of special offers and freebies covering transport, culture, retail and dining as part of the celebrations to mark the 29th anniversary of the Handover.

During Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day on July 1, residents can enjoy free rides on all trams, whilst the MTR will give away 71,000 domestic single rides in a lucky draw.

Holders of child or student Octopus cards, as well as senior citizens’ JoyYou cards, will enjoy special Airport Express offers. Several ferry routes will be free of charge, with vouchers to be distributed in advance, according to a Tuesday government press release.

Several fee-charging facilities of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Wetland Park will offer free admission. Designated exhibitions at M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum will also be free.

Ticket offers will also be provided by The Peak Tram, Ngong Ping 360, Ocean Park Hong Kong and Tai Kwun.

Free guided tours, dining, consumption and accommodation offers will be on offer from mid-June to early July. Moreover, over 1,000 restaurants and merchants are expected to provide dining offers, alongside government-run public markets.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Jockey Club will hold the Hong Kong Reunification Raceday at Sha Tin Racecourse on July 1. Both the Sha Tin and Happy Valley racecourses will be free to enter.

“The Government thanks various sectors for actively responding to its call by launching special offers and activities to celebrate with the public the HKSAR’s 29th anniversary,” the statement said.

Traditionally a day of mass protest, the last July 1 pro-democracy march was held in 2019, before the enactment of the security law a year later.

Full details of this year’s offers and events can be found at www.hksar29.gov.hk, with more announcements to come.

A Lantau-bound Sun Ferry vessel ran aground near Hei Ling Chau in the early hours of Monday, prompting an evacuation of passengers and crew.

A spokesperson for the Fire Service Department (FSD) told HKFP on Monday that 34 people were on board, including 29 passengers and five crew members. No injuries were reported.

The incident happened at around 12.55am on Monday, when the First Ferry VI vessel, sailing the Central to Mui Wo route, ran aground and collided into the Hei Ling Chau typhoon shelter breakwater.

A total of four FSD boats, two ambulances and 60 firefighters and ambulatory medics were deployed, the spokesperson said by phone.

A passenger who gave his name as Adam told HKFP that “all of a sudden, the ship rammed violently into something.”

He added, “The sound during the collision [was] frightening, and the deceleration was so sudden and aggressive that it threw me off the seat.”

He said that there was momentary panic among passengers, but things calmed down quickly as the crew came to check on them.

See also: Mui Wo-bound ferry caught in fishing net, stranded at sea for an hour

Passengers donned life jackets and were transported by rescue boat to Mui Wo, he said.

Five days after the incident, a spokesperson for Sun Ferry told HKFP that the captain responsible “is currently not on navigational duty and is on leave.” They added that an investigation was now underway.

A traveller has been sentenced to six weeks in prison and fined HK$1,800 after attempting to smuggle cigarettes under his stockings while crossing the border from mainland China.

The 49-year-old man received his sentence at the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday, one day after he was intercepted at the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point.

Customs officers seized 1,181 sticks of illicit cigarettes from the traveller, with an estimated market value of about HK$4,800, the Customs and Excise Department said in a statement on Thursday.

Around HK$3,900 in duties would have been charged on that amount of cigarettes, the statement added.

Customs also released a photo appearing to show cigarette packs wrapped around a man’s lower legs underneath his stockings.

The man was arrested on suspicion of contravening the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance and sentenced “for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers,” the statement said.

The department welcomed the ruling, saying: “The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.”

The central government has greenlighted yachts from Hong Kong and Macau to enter nine mainland Chinese cities in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) without customs guarantees and with temporary ship registrations.

The State Council said on Friday that the pilot scheme came into effect the same day.

The nine cities are Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, and Zhaoqing.

The State Council also said it had “temporarily adjusted” two maritime ordinances to relax restrictions for Hong Kong and Macau yachts travelling to the Greater Bay Area.

The Hong Kong government said on Saturday that it welcomed the new policy.

“Under the new policy, the exemption [from] the requirement for a guarantee will significantly reduce the financial burden” on yacht owners, it said in a statement.

It also praised the simplified registration scheme, which allows Hong Kong and Macau yachts to obtain temporary national ship registration from mainland China “without affecting their original ship registration.”

Owners of Hong Kong and Macau yachts previously had to pay hefty customs guarantees and undergo complex registration procedures before entering mainland ports.

According to the Saturday statement, the Hong Kong Marine Department will “continuously review and refine the facilitation measures for the northbound travel of yachts from Hong Kong and southbound travel for yachts from the Chinese Mainland to foster a healthy, sustainable and competitive environment for the development of the local yacht economy.”

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee first proposed boosting the local yacht economy in his 2025 Policy Address in September.

The following month, the government announced new initiatives, including providing 600 additional yacht berths at the former Lamma Quarry, expanding the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter and the Hung Hom Station waterfront projects, and a planned yacht bay at Airport City.

Hong Kong International Airport is among the top polluting hubs in the world, a UK thinktank has found.

On Wednesday, new data from global affairs thinktank ODI Global ranked Hong Kong’s airport as the world’s sixth most polluting in terms of flight CO2 emissions, and second in Asia-Pacific.

The study, based on 2023 data from the International Council on Clean Transportation, concluded that the fossil-fuel dependent aviation sector would be the fifth-largest emitter if it were a country.

Hong Kong emitted 15.1 million tonnes of CO2, and saw 138,764 flights, in 2023.

Seoul was Asia-Pacific’s most polluting airport, responsible for 16.8 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2023. Dubai topped the global ranking with 23.2 million tonnes of CO2, followed by London’s Heathrow.

The research also showed that Hong Kong’s airport was a significant source of local pollutants – it ranks ninth in the world, emitting 4,572 tonnes of nitrogen oxides in 2023.

The thinktank warned against reliance on so-called “sustainable” aviation fuels to bring down emissions, citing “high production costs and price premiums, limited policy support, weak long-term offtake commitments, bankability challenges and constraints on feedstock availability and sustainability.”

It also said that jet fuel emissions are predicted to increase and eat up future carbon budget: “The sector’s own high-growth scenario projects passenger demand could increase by 3.3% annually, from 9.0 trillion revenue passenger-kilometers (RPKs) in 2024 to 21.9 trillion RPKs in 2050. Between now and 2050, aviation is projected to consume 15% of the remaining carbon budget associated with 1.7ºC of warming.”

HKFP has reached out to the Environmental Protection Department and the Airport Authority for comment.

Hong Kong authorities are considering issuing 10,000 ride-hailing permits under a new regulatory framework for on-demand transport services, according to local media.

The Hong Kong Economic Journal (HKEJ) reported on Monday, citing unnamed sources, that the government viewed a cap of 10,000 as a “reasonable starting point,” as the figure would not excessively affect taxi drivers’ income or exceed road capacity.

Authorities believe that Uber’s suggestion of 30,000 permits is too ambitious, while the taxi trade’s proposal of 3,600 would fail to meet public travel demands, the report said.

In a submission to the Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Transport on Monday, the government did not specify a final number of permits but noted public opinion favoured a range of 10,000 to 15,000 permits.

A government consultancy report conducted between November 2024 and January 2025 estimated that ride-hailing services facilitate about 114,000 trips in Hong Kong on an average day.

Meanwhile, the number of active ride-hailing drivers was believed to be fewer than 30,000, as many work part-time, the government said.

The government said public opinion remained divided. According to its submission document, some advocate a higher cap because ride-hailing vehicles far outnumber traditional taxis in some major cities around the world.

However, others believe that Hong Kong’s situation is “unique” and that the number of permits should not exceed the city’s current taxi fleet of about 18,000.

In a submission on Tuesday, Uber said it had more than 30,000 active ride-hailing drivers on its platform over the past year, arguing that the proposed 10,000 or 15,000 caps would not meet demands.

Uber estimated that, if the number of permits were capped at 15,000, four in 10 ride requests could go unfulfilled during rush hours, while waiting times might double, and fares could increase by 70 per cent.

The ride-hailing platform urged the government to issue enough permits to ensure a “flexible” service and to protect existing drivers’ livelihoods.

Authorities are expected to introduce the final cap by the end of June and begin enforcing the regulatory framework in the fourth quarter of this year.

In October, LegCo passed a bill to introduce a licensing regime as part of a regulatory framework for ride-hailing services in Hong Kong.

Under the framework, ride-hailing platform operators will be required to obtain a licence, while drivers will also need to acquire a permit for themselves and their vehicles to provide ride-hailing services.

The streets of Shau Kei Wan turned into a sea of colour last Sunday as local communities celebrated the Tam Kung Festival with a vibrant street procession in honour of the Taoist maritime deity.

Lion and dragon dance troupes, martial artists and acrobats paraded along Shau Kei Wan Main Street East, from the Factory Street Playground to the historic Tam Kung Temple near the waterfront.

With 2026 being the Year of the Horse, some performers also paid tribute to the zodiac animal.

Tourists and residents flocked to the narrow streets of the eastern neighbourhood to watch the lively performances and tried to touch the dragon for good luck.

The celebration of Tam Kung’s birthday culminated at the 101-year-old temple, with worshippers burning incense and paper offerings for the sea deity, believed to have the power to control the weather and heal the sick.

The birthday of Tam Kung falls on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, coinciding with Buddha’s Birthday. The festival is a remnant of Shau Kei Wan’s history as a fishing village.

According to folklore, Tam Kung was born in today’s Huizhou county during the Yuan dynasty, and at the age of 12 attained Taoist enlightenment and discovered the secret of eternal youth.

Check-in counters at Hong Kong International Airport’s Terminal 2 will open at the end of the month, with 15 airlines – including HK Express and Hong Kong Airlines – moving to the new location in phases.

The departure hall at Terminal 2, which will open on May 27, will be home to eight aisles totalling 160 check-in counters, Airport Authority Hong Kong said in a press release on Friday.

Three Hong Kong carriers – HK Express, Hong Kong Airlines and Greater Bay Airlines – will have their check-in services gradually moved to Terminal 2.

Starting from May 27, those flying Hong Kong Airlines will have to check in at the new terminal, local media reported earlier. Greater Bay Airlines and HK Express passengers will start checking in at Terminal 2 on June 3 and June 10, respectively.

The other affected airlines include AirAsia, Vietjet Air, Bangkok Airways and Cebu Pacific Air.

Airport Authority Hong Kong said 29 airport bus routes would have an additional Terminal 2 departures stop, while those arriving by taxi or car can alight at the kerbside outside the new terminal.

The new terminal will also be connected to Car Park 3 via a covered walkway.

Passengers for all of the airlines will still have to board their flights at Terminal 1, which they can access via the Automated People Mover trains after checking in.

Four restaurants will be in operation at Terminal 2, according to a restaurant listing on the airport’s website, including chains Luckin Coffee and Tong Kee Bao Dim.

Terminal 2 has been closed since 2019 to facilitate the airport’s upgrade to a three-runway system.

Allowing vehicles from Guangdong province to enter Hong Kong’s South Lantau must be approached with “caution,” Hong Kong’s transport chief has told lawmakers.

At a Legislative Council meeting on Wednesday, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said that authorities would have to consult local residents and the district council, citing recent cases of vehicles from Guangdong illegally entering the restricted scenic roads on rural South Lantau.

Addressing a question from lawmaker and rural leader Kenneth Lau, Chan said: “Regarding reviews of quotas and other potential improvements for self-drive tours on Lantau going forward, we will cautiously and carefully monitor the situation. We will also consult and explore options with local residents and the Islands District Council.”

Vehicles under the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles scheme have been operating smoothly, and testing centres in Guangdong have provided drivers with information on Hong Kong’s traffic rules, she added.

Under the southbound travel scheme, which took effect in December, up to 100 private cars from Guangdong province are permitted daily to drive into Hong Kong’s urban areas via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and stay for a maximum of three days.

The transport minister had previously touted the scheme as a boon for Hong Kong’s economy, driving tourism and trade while enhancing “integration” for citizens in both regions.

The government launched the Driving on Lantau Island Scheme in 2016, allowing a daily quota of 25 private cars to access closed roads to Ngong Ping, Tai O, Cheung Sha and Mui Wo on weekdays. The second phase was launched in 2022, with the daily quota increased from 25 to 50.

Under the scheme, some 12,000 quotas are available for allocation each year, with all of them filled.

Citing official figures, Chan said that the Transport Department received about 84,000 applications in 2023 and about 30,000 in each of the subsequent two years. She attributed the high number from three years ago to pandemic-related travel restrictions that limited residents to local tourism.

Responding to a suggestion by lawmaker Chan Hok-fung to extend South Lantau permits from one day to two or three days, the transport minister said the authorities would look into extending the permit period to include weekends.

But she added that any quota extensions must balance tourism development and local residents’ traffic concerns.

A Hong Kong taxi driver has been arrested after a fatal traffic incident in Ngau Tau Kok that killed a woman and seriously injured four people.

A taxi driven by a 70-year-old man went out of control while he was driving downhill along Chun Wah Road and mounted the pavement and a sitting-out area on Choi Ha Road, knocking down two female pedestrians at 1.50pm on Wednesday, according to police.

One of the pedestrians, a 38-year-old woman, suffered serious leg injuries and was rushed to United Christian Hospital in an unconscious state and was later certified dead at 2.26pm on Wednesday.

The other female pedestrian, 31, also suffered leg injuries and was sent to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in an unconscious state.

The two passengers in the taxi were sent to Queen Elizabeth Hospital with injuries. The 62-year-old male passenger sustained chest and leg injuries, while the 62-year-old female passenger suffered chest, back and neck injuries.

According to the government, as of 10.30am on Thursday, the second female pedestrian was in critical condition, and both passengers were in serious condition.

The taxi driver, who sustained chest injuries, was sent to United Christian Hospital in a conscious state.

He was arrested for dangerous driving causing death and is being detained, the police said. He was in stable condition as of 10.30am on Thursday.

The police are investigating the traffic accident and are urging witnesses to call 3661 0277.

Hong Kong is mulling tighter health checks for elderly taxi drivers, but progress has been slow.

Currently, all drivers – including taxi drivers – aged over 70 must provide the Transport Department with a medical examination certificate completed by a registered medical practitioner at least once every three years.

See also: Hong Kong taxi union hits back at lawmakers’ suggestions of mandatory retirement age for cabbies

The government proposed in 2023 that taxi drivers aged over 65 should conduct mandatory health checks every year.

The government is working on law amendments related to mandatory health checks for taxi drivers and plans to table the bill later this year, Sing Tao Daily reported on Wednesday.

10 people have sustained minor injuries after a truck collided with a double-decker KMB bus on a downhill stretch in Kwun Tong.

Police said they received a report of the crash on Po Lam Road, Sau Mau Ping, at about 6.20am on Tuesday. The collision involved a light goods vehicle and a Route 600 KMB bus, which travels between Kwun Tong and Central.

The truck overturned following the crash, while the KMB bus struck a traffic light pole before coming to a halt, police said.

Eight bus passengers and both drivers were reportedly mildly injured and were sent to United Christian Hospital for treatment.

Dashcam footage circulating online appeared to show the truck violating traffic signals by making a right turn towards Po Tat Shopping Centre on Po Lam Road, as the KMB bus was travelling downhill.

Images from the scene showed the truck lying on its side, while the windscreen of the KMB bus was shattered. Traffic in the area was disrupted following the incident, according to RTHK.

In an emailed reply to HKFP’s enquiry, KMB said on Wednesday that an investigation showed its bus was crossing the intersection on a green light, while the truck ran a red light by turning right from the opposite lane.

The bus operator said it would cooperate with the police.