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Foreign cruise lines to be allowed to operate in the Strait

Foreign-registered cruise lines that receive government permits will be allowed to operate routes across the Taiwan Strait, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday.

The accord on the opening of shipping links signed by Taiwan and China last week stipulates that only national vessels from the two sides will be permitted to sail directly between points in the two countries.

Ministry officials said, however, that Taiwan and China had reached a tacit agreement allowing foreign cruise lines to serve cross-strait routes without detouring through a third country or area.

The ministry said such an agreement would boost Taiwan’s tourism sector by providing a new avenue for Chinese tourists to visit the country.

Under the terms of the pact, Taiwan will open 11 ports around the country to direct cross-strait shipping services that will connect them to 63 destinations in China.

Several cruise lines based in Singapore, Japan and Britain currently sail to Taiwan, the ministry said.

Hong Kong-based Star Cruises sails between Keelung and Japan’s Isigaki Island during the April to June period. It also offered cruises between Hualien and Penghu last year.

Star Cruises is interested in managing the cross-strait market and has begun assessing the possibility of reopening routes from Keelung or Kaohsiung to Shanghai.

The cruise line offered a Keelung-Isigashi Island-Shanghai route several years ago, but canceled the service after only three trips because of time-consuming detours.
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