[1] It lies between the western shores of Hong Kong Island and Ap Lei Chau, and the east side of Lamma Island.

The East Lamma Channel is one of the areas in the world with the heaviest traffic with more than 150 deep-water vessels of all kinds passing there every day.

The eastern entrance to the channel is also the pilot point for ships going to the Kwai Tsing Container Terminals and for ships passing the Ma Wan water way up to the eastern Pearl River Delta ports in Shenzhen and Guangzhou.

By Hong Kong maritime laws, ocean-going vessels entering Hong Kong via the East Lamma Straight need to slow down in order to pick up pilots at the Nganchau Pilot Boarding Station, then enter the west channel to the western seaports.

Therefore, the average speed of ships sailing in this strait is usually not higher than 15 knots.