Kaohsiung
UN/LOCODE TWKHH · Taiwan · IMO-designated crew-change hub
Why this port is a crew-change hub
Kaohsiung is one of 115 ports named in IMO Circular MSC.1/Circ.1636 as a designated crew-change hub. Ports made the list on the basis of accessible international airports, established agent networks, welfare-centre infrastructure, and — during the pandemic — visa-facilitation frameworks that allowed sign-on and sign-off crew to transit without lengthy quarantine. That combination continues to make these ports the practical corridors most seafarers move through today.
Airport and transit
Nearest major airport for crew changes is Kaohsiung International Airport (KHH), roughly 6 km from the port. Confirm the exact terminal handover point with the ship's agent — many hubs have multiple terminals with different immigration processes.
Shore leave and practical briefing
Kaohsiung, Taiwan's largest port and one of Asia's principal container hubs. Shore leave is granted to seafarers with a seaman's book + shore pass under Taiwan's standard port-call procedure. Welfare provision via Mission to Seafarers Kaohsiung. Taiwan generally has friendly shore-leave processing and a relatively low-pressure port-state regime.