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Opinion | Hong Kong should use cruise ships as a short-term housing solution
- Cruise ships could serve as transitional housing for those waiting for public housing or the redevelopment of their apartments by the URA
- The vessels are available at discounted rates due to the pandemic, already have many amenities and can be located near urban areas
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In response to Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s commitment to resolving Hong Kong’s perennial housing crisis, the Tanner Hill Workshop has another novel, near-term solution formulated under the guiding principles of a short timeline and being cost effective. Our proposal is aimed at addressing the shortcomings in the current government housing supply plan for the next 10 years, which we see as “top-light, bottom-heavy”.
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Our team has examined the availability of economical, disused second-hand cruise ships that are currently being put up for sale at highly discounted rates owing to the pandemic-depressed cruise market.
Dwellings provided on such vessels could offer a ready solution to our shortage of land for housing, particularly in urban areas. Being moored at sea, the vessels would not take up scarce urban land resources.
Additionally, cruise ships come with ready amenities, such as swimming pools, gymnasiums and cinemas, which can enhance the quality of life of those on board. If they were open to the public, such amenities could also benefit residents of the neighbourhood and reduce demand for land for such amenities.
Disused vessels are available immediately and are mobile in the sense that they can be strategically located along our coastline to serve needs in different geographical areas and on a flexible timetable.
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The major challenge is to find stable and safe locations to moor the ships.
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