The SkyPier, a cross-boundary ferry service, and the pier itself, culminate the Airport Authority's relentless efforts in upgrading facilities and improving services.

The pier is more than just a facility. It is an important link between our airport and the Pearl River Delta or PRD. It complements the existing services between the airport and various destinations in the Delta region.

Since 2003, a temporary pier has served more than 9 million passengers. The new permanent SkyPier will be able to handle some 8 million passengers a year with enhanced passenger services.

With the new pier, passengers will find it much more convenient to travel between the airport and the Pearl River Delta. The hassle-free connection between the pier and the air-side gates is made even easier by the extended automated people mover.

The North Satellite Concourse, on the other hand, provides smaller aircraft with bridge parking services, so that more passengers travelling on smaller aircraft can embark or disembark their aircraft in a pleasant and weatherproof environment.

Looking to the future, the airport's connectivity will be substantially enhanced with the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge expected to be completed in 2015 or 2016. 

We will also continue to take forward the planning of the proposed Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Express Line. The line will link the airports in Hong Kong and Shenzhen and serve Qianhai in Shenzhen and the northwest New Territories.

At the same time, the Airport Authority is developing the midfield area between the two existing runways to meet the medium-term needs of the airport up to 2020. This will increase the annual handling capacity of the airport to 70 million passengers and 6 million tonnes of cargo. 

The Authority is also studying the longer-term needs of the airport under the Airport Master Plan 2030 Study. I encourage the aviation community and the general public to contribute their views and ideas in the process.

An international aviation hub underpins Hong Kong's efforts to enhance our competitiveness through the development of the four traditional pillar industries, in particular tourism and trade and logistics. It is also crucial to the sustainable growth of our economy, as well as to the competitiveness of the PRD.

Hong Kong's greatest advantages lie in her prime location and world-class connectivity. We will continue to work with the authority and the aviation community to fortify our aviation network. The new facilities opened today represent an important milestone in this regard.

Chief Executive Donald Tsang gave this address at the opening of the SkyPier and North Satellite Concourse at Hong Kong International Airport.