HÀ NỘI — Quảng Ninh’s Hạ Long International Passenger Terminal on Tuesday officially welcomed its first cruise ship carrying over 3,000 visitors and crew members.

The Celebrity Millennium operated by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines carried the passengers from Hong Kong to visit Hạ Long Bay and other tourist spots in the northern province of Quảng Ninh.

The milestone is a turning point for the tourism industry in Quảng Ninh Province, opening new spaces for co-operation, tourism development and the national economy.

Chairman of Quảng Ninh People’s Committee Nguyễn Đức Long said the operation of the International Passenger Terminal was an important mark for the tourism industry in Quảng Ninh.

The Hạ Long International Passenger Terminal, invested in by Sun Group, is equipped with modern technologies and is capable of welcoming the most luxurious cruise ships in the world.

It is capable of receiving two large passenger ships of up to 225,000GT, carrying up to 8,460 people each at once.

Construction of the port began in November 2017 with total investment of nearly VNĐ1.1 trillion (US$47 million), aiming to ease overloading at the Tuần Châu Passenger Terminal while improving Hạ Long’s tourist service quality.

It is expected that by the end of 2018, about 10 international passenger ships will have docked at Hạ Long International Terminal. — VNS