Shenzhen (Shekou, China)

Shenzhen is a major port city in south-eastern China, located north of Hong Kong. The city is among China's top 5 largest and wealthiest. Its urban area is approx 1992 km2 (769 mi2) and has a population of around 12 million (metro over 18 million).

The city received its status in 1979 and in 1980 was designated China's first "Special Economic Zone". The city is one of the world's fastest-growing. The ultra-modern cityscape is the result of large foreign investments since 1980. This is also a major southern China financial center, having Shenzhen Stock Exchange and the corporate headquarters of large high-tech companies.

Port Shenzhen

The seaport (locode CNSZX) is among the world's largest containership ports, serving ~40 boxship companies operating on 131 international shipping trade routes. Monthly, the port handles around 560 ocean vessels. Another 21 feeder shipping routes are operated from Shenzhen to Pearl River Delta ports.

Port Shenzhen consists of the following areas and harbors - Da Chan Bay, Shekou, Chiwan, Mawan, Yantian, Dongjiaotou, Fuyong, Xiadong, Shayuchong, Neihe. Their combined berths are 140, of which 51 for under 10,000 DWT vessels, 43 for 10,000+ DWT vessels, 18 for container ships, 18 for passenger ferries and 23 are non-production berths.

Shekou Passenger Terminal serves fast ferries across Pearl River Delta to Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai. Shekou's Prince Bay Port is the only Chinese port terminal that can handle the world's largest cruise liners. Since its inauguration in 2016, Prince Bay Homeport became Shenzhen City's main transportation hub.

There is a plan for Shenzhen Bay's waterfront to be redeveloped into urban area housing businesses, shops, and residential buildings - similar to the "Hong Kong Macau Ferry Terminal" project.

Shekou port "Shenzhen Prince Bay Cruise Homeport"

Shekou is an urban area located at Nanshan (Shenzhen) facing Hong Kong (across Shenzhen Bay). "Shenzhen Prince Bay Cruise Homeport" (aka "Shekou Port Ferry Terminal") is Shekou's ferry port, allowing direct ferry connections between Shenzhen Pearl River Delta ports.

Fast-ferry services are provided by the local companies Xunlong Ferries, Turbo, and CKS Ferries. Of all 30 ferries operating from Shekou, 22 are high-speed luxury ships and 8 are regular (but also high-speed). The port serves service 5 scheduled passenger shipping lines.

Shekou Port Ferry Terminal offers regularly scheduled ferry services between Shekou and Hong Kong (Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal, and Skypier terminal / to Hong Kong International Airport), Macau (Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal, and Taipa Temporary Ferry Terminal) and Zhuhai (Zhuhai Jiuzhou Ferry Terminal). Customs and immigration processes are upon ferry ship disembarkation. Shekou Port's ferry terminal can also berth cruise ships. This was China's ever first dedicated cruise terminal facility. It replaced the old Passenger Terminal as part of Shenzhen Bay's redevelopment project.

The port is served by Metro Line 2 (ending in Chiwan, west of Shekou). The main metro stations in Shekou are named "Sea World" and "Shekou Port". "Shekou Port" metro station is adjacent to the terminal's taxi rank. The port is also served by buses (directly from the ferry terminal to Shenzhen's International Airport.

During season 2017, the cruise port handled nearly 189,000 tourists. For 2018 were scheduled 85 ship calls (expected ~320,000 passengers).

Since 2018, Guangshengang XRL (Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link/high-speed railway) connects Beijing with Hong Kong (Kowloon Station) via Guangzhouand Shenzhen. The largest cities connected to Hong Kong via HSR (without interchange) also include Changsha, Guiyang, Wuhan, and Nanning.

Shenzhen cruise terminal