Shanghai 2009
Thursday, 24 September 2009 02:09
Written by Urban China (translated by Xinlei Wang)

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China’s rapid economic development has brought growing demands for luxurious water transport. The reported number of foreign passengers in 2004 (totaling just 30,000) required no more than 10 ships berthing in Shanghai. By 2007 the number of ships had risen to 92 ships, bringing more than 100,000 overseas visitors and contributing over USD 180 million to Shanghai’s cruise line industry.

As a coastal metropolis, Shanghai is in urgent need of further cruise line development, to meet increasing demand and strengthen its economy. The transformation of Shanghai an international harbor for passenger vessels has been included as an urban development goal in its 10th Five Year Plan. Plans have been established to provide the city with 35 docks, with some dedicated to local and interprovincial, as well as to international travel. Five cruise ship terminals should host 3,465 berths by the year 2010. By 2020 the city expects to receive more than 25 million sea-borne passengers annually.

The Shanghai Municipal Government has been undertaking the construction of an international passenger shipping center and ‘Passenger Liner City’ in the North Bund area, on a 3.66 square kilometer site. Twenty additional relevant projects are under construction, including a shipping information center, shipping consultation center, related commercial services, transportation system, office tower and hotel. By 2010, the North Bund will have become an important node for international shipping companies and organizations. Some well-known international cruise companies, including the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, have already laid down firm plans to open Shanghai services. The World Expo is expected to provide an important stimulus to the development of the industry.

However, the development of Shanghai’s international passenger liner industry also faces some dauting problems. Firstly, the draft of the world’s largest ships approaches 13 meters, while the depth of Yangzi River channel in the Shanghai area only reaches a depth of 10 meters. Furthermore, the width of the Huangpu River and the height of Yangpu Bridge both pose obstacles to the passage of some ultra-large ships. There are presently 276 ships of the ‘ultra-large’ size in the world, of which 40 are effectively blocked by the Yangpu Bridge. In addition, Shanghai still lacks the full range of adequate support facilities, from entertainment, leisure and shopping to accommodation, to meet the expected demands of the highest class of international passengers. Finally, it will take time for Shanghai to update its regulations and procedures in such areas as customs inspection to meet international standards.

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