by Donald Wood
Last updated: 3:13 PM ET, Mon October 7, 2019
The Carnival Corporation announced Monday it has officially started construction of the cruise industry's first terminal in Japan, located at the port of Sasebo.
During a groundbreaking ceremony attended by government, business and community representatives, Carnival Corporation officials revealed they would construct and operate the new terminal, which is expected to open in summer 2020.
As part of a strategic partnership agreement between the city of Sasebo and the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), the Carnival Corporation has signed a 20-year berthing deal and will work to develop an efficient and contemporary design for the terminal.
"As the cruise industry's first terminal in Japan, this groundbreaking is a historic day for all of us at Carnival Corporation and for our partners in this exciting project," Carnival Asia CEO Michael Thamm said in a statement. "This new terminal will complement our strong presence in the Asia-Pacific region and furthers our commitment to help facilitate the rising demand for cruise vacations in the region, enabling even more people from around the world to discover why Japan is such an extraordinary destination, one that many of our guests have long enjoyed."
"And as our company's first cruise terminal investment in Japan, we are excited to mark the start of our long-term relationship," Thamm continued. "We are actively working on future investment opportunities to help further support growth and expand the Japanese cruise industry for years to come."
The new agreement will also feature the Carnival Corporation continuing to work with the Japanese government and MLIT officials to identify potential additional port development opportunities and future investments in the country.
Overall, the Carnival Corporation is expected to accommodate an estimated two million passenger movements in the Japanese market in 2019, with nearly 800 calls from 15 ships to over 50 ports in Japan.
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