The Kaohsiung Port Terminal and Cruise Service Center welcomes a ship from Regent Seven Seas Cruises to the southern city during the facility’s opening day March 6. (Courtesy of Kaohsiung City Government)
 

The Kaohsiung Port Terminal and Cruise Service Center opened March 6 as part of public and private sector efforts to expand the southern Taiwan city’s potential as a transportation and tourism hub in Asia.

During the ceremony, Premier Chen Chien-jen said that Kaohsiung, which welcomes 70 percent of the country’s shipping containers, is Taiwan’s biggest port. As one of the region’s major shipping centers, it also plays a key role in the country’s economic development, he added.

The government spent NT$4.5 billion (US$14.7 million) to build the terminal and service center in response to growing demands from the international cruise market, Chen said, adding that it allows 250,000-ton cruise ships to berth and is equipped with intelligent devices to facilitate rapid customs clearance for passengers.

According to Chen, an NT$88 billion construction plan for a new building at the Kaohsiung International Airport was also approved by the Cabinet last month. It will help further shape Kaohsiung into a dual nucleus for air and water transportation to boost the country’s tourism and trade, he added.

Other initiatives were also greenlighted by the Executive Yuan to attract more tourists to Taiwan, Chen said, citing a construction project that will see the government invest over NT$15 billion to improve facilities in 200 vital scenic spots from 2024 to 2027. Besides these initiatives, the government will continue working with local authorities to promote the beauty of Taiwan to the world, Chen added. (YCH-E)