The luxurious Star Cruises' SuperStar Virgo. Photo: Star Cruises
KUALA LUMPUR: Cruise and resort operator Genting Hong Kong Ltd (GenHK) has inked an agreement to jointly develop Tai Zi Bay in Shenzhen, China into an international cruise homeport.
GenHK said in a statement that Star Cruises - one of its three cruise lines - would become the first international cruise line to choose Shenzhen as its homeport.
Last Saturday the Hong Kong-based leisure, entertainment and hospitality enterprise has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China Merchants Shekou Holdings in Shenzhen to jointly develop Tai Zi Bay, Shekou, with the goal to accelerate the growth of the cruise industry in China.
The MoU was signed by GeHK executive vice president (sales) and Star Cruises president Ang Moo Lim and China Merchants Shekou Industrial Zone Holdings Co Ltd managing director Xu Yongjun, During the press conference, GenHK announced the future homeport deployment of SuperStar Virgo at Tai Zi Bay, Shekou from November 2016,.
“A pioneer in the cruise industry in China over 20 years ago, Genting Hong Kong has, over the years, developed Sanya, Haikou, Shanghai, Xiamen, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen homeports, not to mention the evergreen homeports of Hong Kong and Taipei, making us the cruise company with the longest history and with the most homeports in Greater China,” said GenHK chairman and chief executive officer Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay.
China Merchants Group chairman Li Jianhong said: “Already well-known for its business strength in finance, property, logistics and trading, China Merchant Group is poised to enhance its international reputation through developing high-end cruise industry ecosystems through our collaboration with Genting Hong Kong and via expansion in cruise industry construction and operation, including cruise terminal construction and management, fleet development, maintenance and repair. The Tai Zi Bay Cruise Terminal, the only cruise port in China capable of accommodating 220,000-tonne cruise liners, which will start service in November this year, will be a very important waterway portal for Shenzhen and will improve the city’s international standing as a modern, world-class metropolis.”
GenHK said cruising had become more popular in China in recent years. In 2015, more than 1.2 million Chinese travelers joined cruises and this number, it said, was expected to rise to 4.5 million in five years.
SuperStar Virgo will debut at her inaugural homeport in Tai Zi Bay, Shekou, from November 2016, offering a four-night cruise calling at Halong Bay and Sanya; a five-night cruise calling at Nha Trang, Da Nang and Sanya as well as a seven-night cruise calling at Halong Bay, Da Nang, Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City.
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