All Aboard James Hargreaves’ Hong Kong Port Tour

There’s no question the shipping industry has played a vital role in shaping Hong Kong. But despite having one of the busiest ports in the world, most of us know little about its inner workings. Hong Kong Yachting hopes to change that with the return of its popular Private Container Port Tour, run by New Zealander James Hargreaves and his wife Jess.

On Sundays in October, the tour takes place on-board Jungle Jane, a 45-person-capacity junk that’s one of the most popular in the company’s fleet.

The day trip caters to a crowd looking for something different from the usual junk trip. And guide Hargreaves knows his ships.

Hargreaves taps his 15 years in the industry to give guests insider information, taking them through the “Danger Zone”, where hazardous goods are moved and river barges operate. It’s here that maritime junkies can get an up-close view of the giant container ships (some are 350 to 400m long) in action. Hargreaves will also share stories of what life is like for the crews.

“It gets really close to the action,” says Jess Hargreaves, Hong Kong Yachting’s managing director. “We manoeuvre next to the huge container ships as they are loaded and unloaded.”

Original article by Kylie Knott, South China Morning Post, July 23, 2018.