SHANGHAI, Nov. 4 -- After five years of design, building and a subsequent trial voyage, China's first domestically-built large cruise ship, the "Adora Magic City," was delivered in Shanghai on Saturday, with its maiden voyage scheduled for Jan. 1, 2024.
To date, China has been able to build an aircraft carrier, a large liquified natural gas carrier and a large cruise ship -- the most challenging shipbuilding projects, according to the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC).
The cruise ship, measuring 323.6 meters in length, with a gross tonnage of 135,500 tonnes, can accommodate up to 5,246 passengers and has a total of 2,125 guest rooms, said the CSSC Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (SWS), the shipbuilder.
Designed with 16 floors, the ship has a total of 40,000 square meters of public living and recreational area.
A large cruise ship is considered an integrator in the industrial field, and the completion of the large cruise shipbuilding marks further improvement of the overall strength of China's shipbuilding industry, said Chen Gang, general manager of the SWS.
The design and shipbuilding contract was signed at the first China International Import Expo in Shanghai in November 2018.
Over the past five years, the SWS has cooperated with 361 tier-one suppliers and 1,105 tier-two supporting enterprises, with over 5,000 engineering technicians from 30 countries joining in the shipbuilding. A series of core technologies related to the power system, cabin environment, vibration noise and other sectors have been tackled.
The interior design of the "Adora Magic City" has integrated Eastern and Western aesthetics, combining traditional and modern styles. A number of wall paintings and art decorations featuring the ancient Silk Road and the Maritime Silk Road have been distributed from the main hall to the theater and other main public venues.
Passengers onboard can enjoy a series of performances, including sitcoms and immersive music shows. A musical drama called "Marco Polo: an Untold Love Story" will be staged at the theater that can hold up to 1,000 people, according to the CSSC Cruise Technology Development Co., Ltd., the operator of the ship.
The commercial operation of the ship will start at the Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal, on Jan. 1, 2024, and the ticket booking for the maiden voyage started on Sept. 20.
It will start with a route to Northeast Asia, while the route between China and the countries of Southeast Asia will be launched later, said Yang Guobing, chairman of the operator.
The "Maritime Silk Road" route and other medium- and long-distance routes will also be launched in the future to provide a variety of travel choices combining short-, medium- and long-haul services, Yang added.
