Passengers arrive at the new terminal building of the Xiamen International Cruise Center. [Photo/Xiamen Daily]

The new terminal building of the Xiamen International Cruise Center in Xiamen, Southeast China's Fujian province, was put into operation on April 15, with the first group of 2,250 passengers boarding the Adora Mediterranea cruise ship.

In this modern terminal building, which had an investment of 730 million yuan ($100 million), a smart revolution is taking place thanks to the adoption of intelligent technology, leading to an efficiency boom. Passengers only need to undergo luggage inspection once for outbound clearance, reducing wait times by 50 percent. In the immigration inspection area, brand-new verification counters equipped with state-of-the-art inspection devices are now operating, with 34 manual channels and 20 express lanes open around the clock to ensure efficient passenger flow.

"In response to group inspection procedures, we have begun accepting and reviewing qualifications from travel agencies in advance, allowing for group inspection procedures to be completed within five minutes. Additionally, crew members of arriving cruise ships who do not disembark no longer need to present immigration documents," said Chen Jinlai, deputy chief of the Gaqi Immigration Inspection Station.

The new terminal building has a total floor area of 68,000 square meters, an annual passenger throughput capacity of up to 800,000 people, and features a sea-crossing bridge, airplanes, cruise ships, and cargo vessels. It connects seamlessly with subway and bus lines, while the airport and train station are less than 30 minutes away via direct express lines.