Port of Hualien, Taiwan International Ports Corporation, Ltd.

As part of efforts to facilitate quick and convenient customs and immigration processing procedures at the Port of Hualien, port officials budgeted an additional NT$22.7 million in 2016 to expand and improve current port passenger customs and immigration facilities. The project was completed on January 16^th, 2017.

The Port of Hualien is not currently a cruise ship homeport and is not regularly called on by cruise ships. In light of the small number of irregular cruise ship calls, customs and immigration procedures have to date been handled at the port’s Customs Processing Office. However, the growth in cruise ship service needs in recent years has already overtaxed the small office that is currently used. Thus, the customs and immigration facilities expansion project was launched in 2016. A one-story, oval-shaped steel-girder structure painted in blue and white has since been constructed along the west side of the original Customs Processing Office, with usable interior space expanded from 353 square meters to 815 square meters.

Part of the new facility will be used to house a passenger lounge and to provide 15 retail spaces for independent business operators offering local specialty products and tourism/travel services. The customs and immigration setup has been reorganized and streamlined, with state-of-the-art CIQS facilities, and equipment installed and separate stations provided for the Centers for Disease Control, the National Immigration Agency, the Hualien Branch of the Customs Administration, Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, the Bank of Taiwan, Coast Guard Administration, and the Hualien Harbor Police Department. Great care has been taken to streamline the arrival / departure processing, immigration, quarantine inspection, general inspection, foreign currency exchange, and other service needs of international cruise passengers.

The Port of Hualien is currently applying for the operating license for the newly completed Customs and Immigration Station, with the formal opening of the station currently slated for March. This will be in time to receive the port’s first cruise ship arrival of the year, the Caledonian Sky. Its passengers will enjoy the station’s quick and efficient processing services as well as wide range of retail shopping opportunities. The completion and operation of the new Customs and Immigration Station is expected to boost both the port’s service image and revenues.

Contact : Ching-wen Cheng  03-8325131#2402 40014@tipc.com.tw