Shanghai overtook New York to become the eight busiest cruise port in the world, with 240 cruises using Shanghai as home port in 2014, representing a growth of 42.9% y-o-y.
Shanghai accounts for half of China’s cruise industry
Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration's director Jingsong Yang said 269 international cruise liners docked at Shanghai port last year, bringing cruise passenger throughput up to 1.2152 million, up 35.2% and 60.6% respectively. The cruise liners that used Shanghai as home port last year carried 1.204 million passengers, up 73.4%.
Mr. Yang estimated 410 cruise liners will dock at Shanghai this year, carrying 1.74 million inbound and outbound travelers, up 51.9% and 44.48% respectively in 2015. Ten of those cruise liners will make 391 port calls, 60.25% more than the year before.
Mr. Yang pointed out that the basic port service facilities of Shanghai cruise terminal must be improved. That includes ongoing work on the Wusong International Cruise Port, remodeling of Chongming Wharf on Baoyang Road to be a cruise reception center for Wusong International Cruise Port, upgrading Wusong International Cruise Port’s lounge areas and solving issues involving simultaneous docking of two cruise liners on a single pier. The Shanghai cruise port authority must also reform and recalibrate its service standard to ensure efficient and rapid boarding and disembarkation when the port has to deal with a large number of passengers brought in at the same time by two mega cruise liners.
Meanwhile, the Shanghai cruise port economic statistical index system is under development to help improve the standard of the Shanghai cruise port management. A “Smart Cruise Port” project will be implemented with[1] three digitized platforms, including a cruise passenger service platform, a cruise liner service platform and a cruise port safety platform. The program will also expand the port’s self-service customs clearance system, promote digitization of inbound/outbound visa processing, promote an online passenger manifest system for customs and provide proactive risk analysis for customs to expedite luggage processing at port.
Shanghai overtook New York to become the eight busiest cruise port in the world, with 240 cruises using Shanghai as home port in 2014, representing a growth of 42.9% y-o-y.
Shanghai accounts for half of China’s cruise industry
Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration's director Jingsong Yang said 269 international cruise liners docked at Shanghai port last year, bringing cruise passenger throughput up to 1.2152 million, up 35.2% and 60.6% respectively. The cruise liners that used Shanghai as home port last year carried 1.204 million passengers, up 73.4%.
Mr. Yang estimated 410 cruise liners will dock at Shanghai this year, carrying 1.74 million inbound and outbound travelers, up 51.9% and 44.48% respectively in 2015. Ten of those cruise liners will make 391 port calls, 60.25% more than the year before.
Mr. Yang pointed out that the basic port service facilities of Shanghai cruise terminal must be improved. That includes ongoing work on the Wusong International Cruise Port, remodeling of Chongming Wharf on Baoyang Road to be a cruise reception center for Wusong International Cruise Port, upgrading Wusong International Cruise Port’s lounge areas and solving issues involving simultaneous docking of two cruise liners on a single pier. The Shanghai cruise port authority must also reform and recalibrate its service standard to ensure efficient and rapid boarding and disembarkation when the port has to deal with a large number of passengers brought in at the same time by two mega cruise liners.
Meanwhile, the Shanghai cruise port economic statistical index system is under development to help improve the standard of the Shanghai cruise port management. A “Smart Cruise Port” project will be implemented with three digitized platforms, including a cruise passenger service platform, a cruise liner service platform and a cruise port safety platform. The program will also expand the port’s self-service customs clearance system, promote digitization of inbound/outbound visa processing, promote an online passenger manifest system for customs and provide proactive risk analysis for customs to expedite luggage processing at port.
Shanghai’s Wusong International Cruise Port leads development
Mr. Yang also said for Shanghai’s cruise industry to develop, it must accelerate the public listing of Wusong International Cruise Port, build a Shanghai cruise supply and distribution depot and register it as a company. It must also bolster cooperation with major players like Royal Caribbean Cruises and Costa Cruise Lines as well as domestic project partners like China Merchants Group, China State Shipbuilding Corporation and Ctrip. The cruise industry must proactively interface with all the tourism industry’s attractions and service businesses to maximize its positive impact on the economy.
He also called for stronger links between government departments and duplicating the experience Experimental Free Trade Zone pilot program on Shanghai’s China Cruise Tourism Experimental Development Zone.
Mr. Yang also said for Shanghai’s cruise industry to develop, it must accelerate the public listing of Wusong International Cruise Port, build a Shanghai cruise supply and distribution depot and register it as a company. It must also bolster cooperation with major players like Royal Caribbean Cruises and Costa Cruise Lines as well as domestic project partners like China Merchants Group, China State Shipbuilding Corporation and Ctrip. The cruise industry must proactively interface with all the tourism industry’s attractions and service businesses to maximize its positive impact on the economy.
He also called for stronger links between government departments and duplicating the experience Experimental Free Trade Zone pilot program on Shanghai’s China Cruise Tourism Experimental Development Zone.(Translation by David)
