In his address, Premier Chen expressed that after he returned from studying in the United States 30 years ago, he conducted hepatitis research in Magong City, Huxi Township, and Baisha County. He acknowledged that the global significance of this research was made possible by the contributions of the residents of Penghu. Premier Chen also indicated that Taiwan was ranked as the sixth most internationally competitive country out of the 64 countries evaluated by the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook. This ranking underscores Taiwan’s ongoing commitment to enhancing overall competitiveness. Penghu Ferry represents the initiation of Taiwan’s journey toward a better future and holds the potential to enhance the lives of residents in both Penghu and mainland Taiwan. He anticipated that the week Penghu Ferry set sail could attract up to 4 million international tourists to Taiwan and he looked forward to further advancing the development of Penghu County through the launch of Penghu Ferry. This development is expected to increase the number of cruise ships docking in Penghu, further fueling the tourism industry in the county. To convey his best wishes, Premier Chen presented the captain of Penghu Ferry with a ceramic apple, symbolizing safe voyages for the cruise ship in the future.
In his address, former Premier Su expressed his gratitude to President Ing-Wen Tsai and Premier Chen for the successful completion of the Penghu Ferry project. The government led by President Tsai attaches high importance to the convenience of life, transportation, and medical and tourism services for the residents of Penghu. During his second term as Premier, Su took the initiative to allocate an additional NT$500 million to the Penghu Ferry project, augmenting the original budget of NT$1.8 billion that was approved in 2014. The central government then took the lead in advancing the project according to President Tsai’s instructions. Subsequently, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications and the Maritime and Port Bureau (MPB) completed the outsourcing agreements within 2 months. Taiwan Navigation also signed a contract with Naikai Zosen Corporation from Japan, which immediately and effectively improved its ship service quality. Former Premier Su expressed his expectation for Taiwan Navigation, emphasizing the importance of delivering exceptional maritime services to the residents of Penghu.
In his speech, Yang, the sole Legislator representing Penghu, asserted his responsibility for supervising the construction of Penghu Ferry. He affirmed and appreciated the efforts of the MPB and Taiwan Navigation in completing the new cruise ship within 2 years. Yang emphasized that Penghu Ferry was comfortable, beautiful, and practical and that it is expected to improve the safety of maritime navigations between Kaohsiung and Penghu in the future.
Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang expressed his gratitude to former Premier Su for his crucial decision to fully subsidize the Penghu Ferry project with central government support. He also thanked Premier Chen for his full support for the construction of the new cruise ship. The newly constructed vessel boasts a substantial 9,932 gross tonnage and has the capacity to simultaneously accommodate 80 passenger cars, 4 tour buses, and 10 TEU containers. Notably, it offers a parking space 60% larger than that of Taihua Ferry, its predecessor. Penghu Ferry also features 300 beds, a significant increase from the 200 beds on Taihua Ferry. This effectively mitigates the difficulties in securing parking spaces and accommodation on the course between Taiwan and Penghu, greatly enhancing the quality of passenger services. The increased convenience will benefit both the residents of Penghu and tourists worldwide, particularly those planning self-driving tours in Penghu. Furthermore, Penghu Ferry is the first transport vessel in Taiwan to incorporate aesthetic designs in both its exterior and interior. The cabins are thoughtfully designed to resemble those found in tourist hotels, and the ship boasts a variety of entertainment and leisure spaces. These features collectively provide a five-star cruise-like experience to the residents of Penghu and Kaohsiung as well as tourists from around the world. The completion of Penghu Ferry is expected to greatly promote island-hopping tourism in Taiwan.
Magistrate Chen of Penghu County asserted in his speech that transportation plays a pivotal role in driving local development. He expressed gratitude to Premier Chen and former Premier Su for fully supporting the replacement of the 34-year-old Taihua Ferry within 2 years, which was a difficult project. He attributed the over 1.25 million tourists visiting Penghu to the collaborative efforts by the local and central governments.
Penghu, celebrated for its many world-class attractions, is an internationally renowned archipelago in Taiwan. Opened for navigation on September 6, the all-new 10,000-ton cruise ship Penghu Ferry is expected to replace Taihua Ferry by offering high-quality island maritime services between Kaohsiung and Penghu to residents of Penghu and tourists from around the world. This development is also expected to initiate a new momentum for the growth of outlying island tourism, facilitating a new age of marine and island-hopping tourisms in Taiwan.
Contact person: Section Chief Shu-Chuan Wang, Vessel Management Division
Contact number: 02-89785423