Main structure completed for nation's largest passenger ro-ro terminal

The main structure of the Haikou Xinhai ro-ro passenger terminal has been completed and construction of the project is expected to close by the end of the year, according to officials with the project developer, the Fourth Harbor Engineering under the China Communications Construction Company.

The terminal, which spans an area equal to six football fields, will become the largest passenger ro-ro hub in China when operations begin. The annual number of passengers and vehicles are expected to reach 35 and 3.2 million, respectively.

Covering 560,000 square meters in total land area, the terminal is a key project promoting integrated port and shipping operations in the Qiongzhou Strait, which connects the tropical island with mainland provinces and regions. It is also an important project to support independent customs operations in the Hainan free trade port.

China issued a master plan for the construction of Hainan free trade port in June 2020, setting 2025 as the deadline for Hainan to introduce independent island-wide customs clearance operations as part of broader measures to promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation.

By 2025, the port will adopt an import and export management system featuring free flow between the "first line" — the boundary between the Hainan free trade port and countries and regions outside China's customs territory — and the "second line" which connects the island to other areas within China's customs territory through efficient controls.

The new terminal will ensure "zero transfer" services to tourists across the strait. Its operation will also help drive development of service facilities for tourism, culture and commerce on the periphery and enhance construction of the Hainan FTP, which is expected to become globally influential by the middle of the century, local officials said.