Busan Port emerging as a base for cruise ships

Busan Port is expected to continue to serve as a base for cruise ships next year as international cruise ships including Legend of the Seas of Royal Caribbean International (RCI) plans regular callings at Busan Port.

Mr. Roh, BPA president, along with RCI vice president, held a joint press conference on November 12 and announced that Legend of the Seas was going to call at Busan Port 19 times next year. The cruise ship is a 70,000 ton class vessel, 265m long, can accommodate 2,000 passengers and 700 crew members, and will be put on the service line cruising to Shanghai and Tianjin in China, Busan in Korea, and Miyazaki and Kobe in Japan in April next year. It is said that RIC decided to expand the service, encouraged by the success of Rhapsody of the Seas, which was put on the same service line this year with a 100 % reservation record.

In the conference, BPA president welcomed the call and promised to provide every service for the convenient use of Busan Port

On the other hand, BPA saw this year about 27,000 cruise passengers aboard 35 cruise ships visit Busan and expects 130,000 cruise passengers aboard 80 cruise ships to visit Busan.

Busan Port status as a hub port for cruise ships is expected to rise for major international cruise liners, Costa Cruises, including RCI plans to use Busan Port as its home port.

To meet growing calls, BPA set out to improve services and facilities of the International Cruise Terminal by installing x-ray security check points for luggage and an information booth.

Mr. Park, BPA Marketing Director, said that cruise tourism had huge economic effects over the local economy, and it would do its best to attract more cruise ships by benchmarking the advanced marketing skills of Miami Port.<Korea Shipping Gazette>