To strengthen the position of Taiwan's ports in the Asian cruise market, Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC) continues to actively expand international cruise partnerships, with a strategic focus on Mitsui Ocean Cruises, the new premium cruise brand under Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL). To advance substantive cooperation, TIPC President Wang Chin-jung personally led a delegation to Japan in early June 2024 to meet with senior executives of Mitsui Ocean Cruises, extending a formal invitation for a familiarization tour to Taiwan. Following the visit, the Mitsui Ocean Cruises familiarization delegation confirmed that future itineraries would include Taiwan's ports, meeting the expectations of Japan's premium market’s demand for immersive cultural travel experiences.
To demonstrate its high regard for the Taiwan market, Mitsui Ocean Cruises dispatched representatives to Taiwan from June 22nd to 29th for an eight-day familiarization tour, with arrangements and hospitality assisted by TIPC. The itinerary covered Keelung, Penghu, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Taichung, and Suao(Yilan), fully showcasing Taiwan's comprehensive port infrastructure capabilities, professional reception services, and vibrant cultural tourism resources. Through this in-depth on-site assessment and cultural exchange, it is hoped that Mitsui Ocean Fuji will formally incorporate Taiwan's ports into its East Asian itinerary planning, further strengthening Taiwan–Japan cruise route cooperation and connectivity.
Mitsui Ocean Fuji is a flagship mid-sized premium cruise ship newly introduced by the Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Group. With a gross tonnage of approximately 32,000 gt and capacity for about 450 passengers, it primarily serves Japan's premium travel market and emphasizes refined Japanese-style service and intimate luxury experiences, with East Asian sailings scheduled to begin in 2025. To attract the cruise line to Taiwan, this familiarization tour began in Keelung and proceeded in turn to Penghu, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Taichung, and Suao in Yilan. Alongside on-site inspections of local port facilities and transit logistics, participants experienced cultural resources and tourism highlights in depth. The itinerary was specially designed to highlight the tourism potential of small and medium-sized ports, including Magong Port in Penghu, Anping Port in Tainan, and the Port of Suao in Yilan, demonstrating Taiwan's diverse and substantive cruise tourism offerings.
TIPC stated that, as the Asian cruise market gradually recovers, Taiwan's ports have transitioned from purely homeport operations toward a more diversified development model. This familiarization tour not only represents strong affirmation by an international cruise brand of Taiwan's tourism and port reception capabilities, but also lays a solid foundation for attracting premium cruise port calls in the future. TIPC also expressed special thanks to the governments of Keelung City, Taichung City, Tainan City, Kaohsiung City, Penghu County, and Yilan County for their assistance and support in providing valuable marketing resources and promotional backing for this familiarization tour, making tourism marketing more effective and amplifying the momentum of these efforts. Going forward, TIPC will continue to strengthen cooperation with international cruise lines and position Taiwan as a key hub on East Asian cruise routes.
Mitsui Ocean Cruises representatives said the Taiwan familiarization tour was highly impressive, not only observing advances in port facilities and professional reception standards, but also experiencing firsthand the charm of local culture and tourism potential. In addition to thanking TIPC for its thoughtful arrangements, the cruise line indicated that future itineraries would include the Port of Keelung, the Port of Kaohsiung, the Port of Suao(Yilan), the Port of Taichung, and Anping Port(Tainan), and that it would actively promote Taiwan as an important and attractive port of call on East Asian itineraries to meet Japanese premium travelers' demand for in-depth cultural tourism.
