Starting construction on two additional mega-ship berths in 2015, the Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal will have capacity to berth four ships at once by 2018.

A spokesperson from the port said the aim is to build a “simple and functional facility.” Plans are also progressing to look into shorepower, the spokesperson said.

The first six months of 2016 have been good for China’s powerhouse cruise port, with 214 calls, up 105 percent year-over-year, with the port expecting 485 calls and just under 3 million passengers for the year.

Shanghai’s port is located in the Baoshan District and able to leverage the local free trade zone for pilot programs aimed at the cruise industry. In addition, the port implemented visa-free travel for foreigners staying up to 144 hours. Currently, it is seeking approval for foreign tour groups entering China to be able to stay up to 15 days without a visa.

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The 11th edition of the China Cruise Shipping and International Expo is the Asia/Pacific’s No. 1 cruise event, learn more at http://www.ccyia.com/. The show takes place Sept. 23-26 in Tianjin.

Read a detailed analysis of the Chinese cruise market Cruise Industry News Fall/October 2016 Quarterly Magazine, due out Sept. 23.

Visit Cruise Industry News, the official event media sponsor and partner, at CCS in Tianjin