JUNISA Manages Inaugural International Cruise Visit to Nansha

Jardine United International Shipping Agencies Ltd (JUNISA), a joint venture of Jardine Shipping Services (JSS) and Shenzhen United International Shipping Agency Co., Ltd., completed a port agency assignment for Costa Victoria, a world-class luxury cruise liner, in the Nansha district, southern China, during the mid-January period in 2013.

The arrival of Costa Victoria, carrying 1807 passengers on a five-day tour around Hong Kong, Sanya and Vietnam, was a highly anticipated event for the local community, as it was the first international cruise to be docked at the Nansha Container Terminal, with its larger berthing facilities.

For JUNISA, it was also the first time a prestigious cruise vessel like Costa Victoria was consigned to its care. Owned by Italy-based Costa Crociere, the deluxe five-star ship measured 253 metres in length and 23.25 metres in width with a height equivalent to a 12-storey buckling. Combining a traditional nautical look with minimalist design, high-value finishes and works of art, it can accommodate up to 2,400 guests.

“JUNISA is delighted to be appointed as the port agent for the Costa Victoria cruise liner in Nansha Container Terminal recently. Our team had won the contract not only by our competitive priced bid, but also by our consistent track record in delivering premium, quality customer services to shipping customers coming to this region from around the world,” said Mr. Benjamin Kwan, General Manager of JUNISA.

A special project group was formed to liaise with the different government departments, local port authorities as well as other parties, including ground handlers and tour operators. Besides holding intensive meetings with the different stakeholders involved, JUNISA also reviewed the overall contingency plan it formulated regularly, while following through every service detail, just to ensure the planning , coordination and execution of the project were carried out seamlessly.

JUNISA’s unmatched knowledge of local port procedures, coupled with its extensive contacts with local service providers, helped ensure a comprehensive service to answer the needs of the cruise vessel, from providing up-to-date advice on port facilities to arranging passenger transfer, disembarkation and embarkation.

“Our success in handling the Costa Victoria cruise is part of the combined JUNISA-JSS experience we can leverage on to extend our reach into the mainland’s cruise market. With the luxury cruise sector expanding at a phenomenal pace in China, I am confident that our professionalism and expertise will position us well in serving the industry,” said Mr. Eric van der Hoeven, Chief Executive of Jardine Shipping Services.