Construction starts on new cruise terminal at Naha Port
The Okinawa facility is expected to enter service by March 2028 and accommodate ships of up to 220,000 gross tonnes under its project plan.
Construction began Oct. 2 on a new cruise terminal at Naha Port in Okinawa, Japan. Naha Port Authority, Cruise Port Naha, Royal Caribbean Group and MSC Cruises announced the start of work Oct. 5, with the partners expecting the facility to be completed and operational by March 2028.
Cruise Port Naha, established by subsidiaries of the two cruise groups, will develop and operate the terminal. Naha Port Authority will manage the public berth at Shinminato Wharf’s No. 12 berth, which began receiving cruise ships in 2023.
According to the authority’s project plan, the 430-metre berth will have a depth of 12 metres and be designed for ships of 220,000 gross tonnes. Vessels of up to 230,000 gross tonnes could be accepted following a navigation-safety review. Plans call for a 4,000-square-metre terminal building and a further 500-square-metre covered curbside area, with capacity for turnaround cruises carrying about 6,000 passengers.
Royal Caribbean Group and MSC are set to receive preferential berth use for as many as 250 days annually for up to 30 years. Naha Port Authority forecasts 71 calls from the partner lines in 2028: 40 by MSC, including 12 turnaround calls, and 31 by Royal Caribbean Group.
