New Cruise Terminal in Shanghai

The new Shanghai Port International Cruise terminal will be completed and open for cruise ships by the end of the year, a senior manager said yesterday. It has been designed to handle one million passengers annually.

When it opens up for traffic, it will be the largest modern cruiser port in China. At the moment ports in Shanghai, Tianjin and Sanya can handle large cruisers.

The new terminal in Shanghai is expected to attract more international cruises to the city, because it can offer better services. "We estimate the new terminal will receive at least 100 international cruise liners every year", announced Bao Qifan, executive vicepresident of the Shanghai International Port Group Co Ltd.

While the terminal will mainly receive cruises from abroad, Bao said he hopes Shanghai will soon also become a harbor from which Chinese can travel abroad. Currently there is only one cruise route starting from Shanghai, which runs to Japan and South Korea.