The Shanghai international passenger transport center is under trial operation this week.

The Carnival Cruise Lines said its subsidiary Costa Cruise will start passenger liners in July, 2006, with Shanghai as its base port.

Located at the Huangpu riverside, the passenger transport center, facilitated with piers and multi-functional building, is expected to handle one million passengers annually.

An official with Costa said that the company will try to make China its global purchasing center, and invest in cruise-related infrastructures in Shanghai.

The first shipping line will be opened on July 3, linking Shanghai with Nagasaki in Japan, and Chejudo of the Republic of Korea. There will be 24 lines in total during the July-October period.

(Xinhua News Agency April 5, 2006)