SHANGHAI Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal received a record number of cruises and visitors in 2014, a testament to the successful transformation of the production and cargo port to one focusing on leisure and travel.
Also known as Baoshan Port, the Wusongkou terminal welcomed 216 docked cruise ships and about 1.1 million visitors in 2014, surpassing Singapore as Asia’s largest cruise port.
This year, the port expects to welcome 288 cruise ships – five with 80,000 tonnage – to exceed 1.5 million visitors.
Plans are underway for the second stage of the port’s expansion to handle the surge in demand, including the construction of two new berths for a 100,000- and 1.6 million-tonne cruise respectively. When completed, four cruise ships will be able to berth simultaneously.
Facilities integral to the port will also be improved, such as an integrated cruise service, commercial services, and leisure and accommodation facilities.
Meanwhile, the Baoshan district is examining the feasibility of a tram line to shuttle visitors from the city to the port. The authorities also aims to construct a 2.4km Binjiang Riverside Avenue, as well as expand the current two-lane Baoyang Road to four lanes.
The district looks set to embark on a three-pronged approach for its economic transformation, developing first Binjiang Riverside Avenue to promote the cruise industry and speed up the port’s second phase of development; next the modern services sector and new and emerging industries in the districts along three main railway lines (namely Lines 1, 3 and 7) and transport networks; and finally its three industrial zones.
Translated from the original TTG China e-Daily, March 3, 2015 article by Ong Yanchun
