Builder of China’s first home-grown cruise ship confidently chases more orders

After garnering skills and experience building two cruise ships, Waigaoqiao will be confident pursuing more orders with support from local authorities and its parent company, the world’s largest shipbuilder China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), Zhou Xi, deputy general manager told the Post on Wednesday.

The shipbuilder plans to begin final assembly of its second cruise ship, code-named H1509, in April next year, before delivering it to operator CSSC-Carnival, a joint venture between its parent and the US-based cruise company Carnival, in 2026.

“After we deliver the second ship, we will certainly look for opportunities on the market,” he said on the sidelines of Marintec China, a trade fair taking place in Shanghai. “We feel comfortable in chasing more orders.”

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China’s first home-grown large cruise ship set to begin sea trials

China’s first home-grown large cruise ship set to begin sea trials

Waigaoqiao began constructing the Magic City in October 2019 and started building H1509 in August 2022.

The company said that the 323-metre-long Magic City required 20 times more worker hours to build than a so-called Capesize shipping vessel – the largest class of bulk ship that can carry any type of cargo. With a gross tonnage of 135,500, it can carry as many as 5,246 passengers.

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Only 40 per cent of the parts on the first ship came from Chinese companies, Zhou said, adding that more supply-chain firms from home and abroad are welcome to set up production facilities in Shanghai to form a complete ecosystem.

“It will be beneficial to leading Chinese and international supply-chain vendors if they decide to localise their research and development as well as production in Shanghai,” he said. “We will delve into cruise-ship building business with support from local authorities and our parent firm.”

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Beijing’s zero-Covid policy nearly crippled the city’s cruise industry, but the Ministry of Transport published an operating guide at the end of March to resume and promote cruise services in Shanghai as well as other cruise hubs like Shenzhen.

“The cruise business has not returned to normal despite the reopening from the pandemic early this year,” said Zheng Honggang, CEO of Shanghai-based Kate Travel Agency. “It is highly anticipated that China’s own cruise vessel will inject vigour into the market next year.”