Hong Kong to Extend HZMB Operating Hours for Designated Fresh Food Imports to 24 Hours

The extension from 16-hour to 24-hour operations at the Hong Kong Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge may give businesses more options for scheduling designated fresh food arrivals from Mainland China. Importers and logistics operators should assess how the new operating window fits their own transport, staffing, cold-storage and warehouse arrangements.

HZMB operating hours for designated fresh food imports to extend from 1 October 2026

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) has announced that, from 0:00 on 1 October 2026, the operating hours for designated categories of fresh food imported from Mainland China into Hong Kong through the Hong Kong Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) will be extended to 24 hours daily.

The current operating window is 16 hours, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. the following day. The new arrangement is intended to provide the trade with greater flexibility when scheduling fresh-food arrivals to accommodate the operational needs of different food sectors.

Which products are covered?

According to the official announcement, the arrangement covers vehicles transporting the following designated categories of fresh food from Mainland China to Hong Kong by land through the HZMB:

• Frozen and chilled poultry;
• Meat and game;
• Eggs;
• Milk;
• Fresh aquatic products;
• Vegetables; and
• Fruits.

The announcement concerns these designated categories and this specific route. Businesses should not assume that the extended hours apply to other products or other boundary control points.

What businesses may need to review

A round-the-clock operating window creates more possible arrival times, but each business will need to decide whether and how to use those options within its own operations. Food importers, distributors, wholesalers, restaurants, refrigerated transport providers and warehouse operators may wish to review the following areas before 1 October:

1. Arrival and delivery schedules

Businesses can compare their current vehicle arrival plans with the expanded operating window. Any revised schedule should also account for supplier dispatch times, driver availability, receiving capacity and the operating hours of the destination warehouse or customer.

The announcement provides additional scheduling flexibility; it does not state that individual consignments will receive faster clearance or arrive earlier.

2. Cold-chain and storage capacity

Importers and logistics providers should consider whether refrigeration, temporary holding space, loading bays and monitoring arrangements can support arrivals outside their existing time windows. Extending vehicle scheduling without matching receiving and storage capacity could merely move pressure to another point in the cold chain.

The new hours do not guarantee improved freshness. Product condition will continue to depend on factors such as handling, temperature control, transport arrangements and the receiving process.

3. Shift and warehouse handovers

Businesses considering overnight or early-morning arrivals may need to review staffing coverage and responsibility at each handover point. Relevant questions may include who will receive the vehicle, who will confirm the consignment handover, and how exceptions will be escalated between transport, warehouse and purchasing teams.

This is an operational planning issue rather than an indication that regulatory inspections are being reduced.

4. Supplier and logistics coordination

Mainland suppliers, transport operators, Hong Kong receiving teams and downstream customers should work from the same confirmed schedule. Businesses may find it useful to establish cut-off times for schedule changes and clear contact arrangements for delays, rejected delivery slots or refrigeration problems.

The availability of a 24-hour operating window does not itself mean that every supplier, carrier, warehouse or customer will operate around the clock.

5. Contingency planning

Contingency plans should account for vehicle delays, unavailable loading bays, refrigeration faults, staffing gaps and changes to customer receiving times. Businesses should avoid treating the expanded hours as a guarantee of uninterrupted movement or clearance.

Food-safety controls will continue

The CFS stated that it will continue inspecting vehicles importing fresh food through the Hong Kong Port of the HZMB. Its work includes:

• Examining details in import documents;
• Conducting physical inspections of vehicles; and
• Taking fresh-food samples for testing.

The extension of operating hours must therefore not be interpreted as a relaxation of food-safety checks or other applicable requirements.

Man Kam To arrangements remain unchanged

The official announcement also states that the operating hours and arrangements for vehicles transporting imported fresh food through the Man Kam To Boundary Control Point remain unchanged.

Businesses using more than one land route should keep their route-specific plans separate and confirm which operating arrangements apply to each movement.

Preparing for 1 October

Before the scheduled implementation date, relevant businesses may wish to:

• Map the expanded arrival window against supplier, carrier, warehouse and customer schedules;
• Check cold-room, loading-bay and overnight receiving capacity;
• Confirm shift coverage and warehouse handover responsibilities;
• Establish communication and escalation arrangements across the supply chain; and
• Retain contingency options for delays, equipment problems and unavailable receiving slots.

These are business-planning considerations, not import, licensing or compliance instructions. Companies should confirm the requirements applicable to their own goods, routes and operations with the relevant authorities and professional advisers where necessary.

Official source

Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, 7 September 2026: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202609/07/P2026090700297.htm

Disclaimer

This article is provided for general information only. It does not constitute legal, regulatory, import, licensing, food-safety, accounting, tax or other professional advice. The official announcement describes a scheduled change taking effect from 0:00 on 1 October 2026. Businesses should check the latest official information and obtain advice appropriate to their circumstances before acting.