Kai Tak to open for business next week

First cruise ship to berth at new terminal on June 12.

The Kai Tak Cruise Terminal is almost complete and is preparing to receive its first customer, the Mariner of the Seas, on June 12.

The first berth at the terminal has been completed and the second one is due for completion in 2014. Both berths can accommodate the largest cruise ships in the world that can weigh up to 220,000 gross tonnes.

The customs, immigration and quarantine facilities will be able to clear 3,000 passengers an hour. The terminal building will provide ample pick-up and drop-off areas and vehicle parking spaces. It also provides the flexibility to convert the waiting halls into other uses during the non-peak season.

There is a 23,000 square meter landscaped deck, one of the largest public roof gardens in Hong Kong that will be named Kai Tak Cruise Terminal Park.

With the new terminal, the cruise industry could earn from $1.5 billion to $2.6 billion a year, generating from 5,300 to 8,900 jobs by 2023.

The terminal operator will manage a commercial area, and the first batch of tenants is expected to open for business in the fourth quarter. The terminal building and landscaped deck are slated to open to the public in the third quarter.