Working to both increase cruise liner berthing capacity and establish a model inter-island cruise terminal at Penghu Port, Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC) funded a major infrastructure upgrade project that extended the length and depth of the port’s primary cruise ship pier (Wharf No. 1). The project doubled the pier length from 190 m to 380 m and dredged the adjacent seabed to a standard depth of -10 m, sufficient for the berthing of modern international cruise liners up to 150,000 GT. Project work, completed in April 2024, has significantly increased the quality and capabilities of Penghu Port with regard to handling and servicing visiting cruise ships, demonstrating the continued effectiveness of infrastructure improvement work at the nation’s largest port in the Penghu Archipelago.
TIPC notes that, between the completion of project work and August of this year (2026), Penghu Port has already welcomed forty cruise ship visits. The very first “dual berth” visit by MS Star Voyager and Noble Caledonia’s MS Island Sky this year stands out as a milestone in Penghu Port cruise sector development, reflecting the strong confidence of cruise ship operators in both the archipelago’s rising tourism potential and the quality of services provided by the port to visiting cruise liners and passengers.
Looking ahead, Mitsui OSK Lines’ MS Mitsui Ocean Fuji will make its maiden visit to Penghu Port just one month from now. This Panama-class cruise liner weighs in at 32,477 GT and measures 198.2 m in length and 25.6 m in width. The ship is currently scheduled to arrive at Wharf No. 1 at 08:00 on October 4th as part of an Okinawa-based itinerary calling at Keelung, Penghu, and Kaohsiung. The ship will depart Penghu on the same day at 17:00 for its next port of call, Kaohsiung.
TIPC shares that, once berthed, Ocean Fuji passengers will have the option of either taking an arranged day-tour of the archipelago or enjoying the day in Magong City and its surroundings at their own pace. The high-value, concentrated nature of cruise travel makes this market particularly lucrative for providers of ground transport and food services as well as souvenir and local specialty product retailers. Thus, rising cruise industry interest in Penghu Port is expected to directly benefit local businesses, fuel growth in the larger tourism market and, ultimately, grow the value of the archipelago’s tourism sector and enhance service sector quality and capacity.
To help maintain and extend this positive momentum, TIPC offers numerous incentives to international cruise ships calling at its subsidiary ports in Taiwan. Incentives such as a waiver of normal dockage fees and a 30% discount on passenger service fees are regularly offered to encourage international cruise line operators to organize itineraries that include stops in Taiwan and visits to the country’s offshore island destinations such as the Penghu Archipelago. Overall, cementing the popularity of the Penghu Archipelago as a cruise travel destination may be expected to boost local tourism sector income, forge new tourism industry value, create new employment opportunities, and secure Penghu Port as a model offshore island cruise ship port.
Provided by：Magong Branch Office, Port of Kaohsiung, TIPC
Contact Person：Wei-cheng Chung, Director
Telephone No.：06-9272006
E-mail Address：glob1027@twport.com.tw
Photos
Image 1. Two cruise ships berthed side by side at Penghu Port
Image 2. International cruise ship MS Amadea calls at Penghu Port (March 24th, 2026)
