Motobu Port to get new cruise docking facilities. Photo credit: Japan Tourism Agency
OKINAWA’S tourism players have welcomed news that the Japanese government is to fund the construction of new cruise docking facilities in the town of Motobu.
At present, the town’s port facilities only enables cruise ships of up to 20,000 tonnes to dock. Consequently, only one ship used the port in 2015, but the proposed upgrades to the existing pier will permit larger ships to dock.
The government was prompted to pursue the development work due to the sharp increase in Chinese visitors to the Okinawa prefecture, many of whom arrive aboard cruise ships.
In 2015, 115 ships docked in Naha, the prefectural capital located on the south of the island. That figure was a 50 per cent increase on the previous year, but port authorities were forced to decline 43 vessels that year due to a lack of infrastructure.
Said consultancy Ryukyu World Office managing director Carl Bastian: “It will be very beneficial to that part of the island, which is around two hours north of the airport, where most people arrive in Okinawa, but where there are a number of excellent hotels and attractions such as the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium.”
“In turn, that will help ease congestion and the squeeze on accommodations in Naha.”
Naha Port is presently the only facility in Okinawa capable of handling 50,000-tonne cruise ships, but by extending the pier at Motobu and deepening the port, it should be able to cater to vessels of up to 160,000 tonnes.
Construction work on the pier is expected to begin from April 2017, while consideration is also being given to a new passenger terminal to enable better immigration procedures.
