China Announces Largest Home-Built Cruise Ship

The Italian classification society RINA has signed an agreement with China’s Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (SWS) to class the largest cruise ship ever built in China.

SeaTrade reports that the ship will be 341 meters long – that’s just 20 meters shorter than Symphony of the Seas, the current record holder – and will displace approximately 140,000gt. The ship will be classified to carry 6,500 passengers and crew on board, 2,380 fewer passengers than the Symphony.

“The Chinese cruise ship industry is expanding rapidly, and the new vessel is being designed to respond to that growth as well as Chinese tastes,” said Wang Qi, Chairman at SWS. “China’s burgeoning economy is providing increased demand for leisure activities encouraged by the Chinese government, while its large geographic area and population promise sustained demand and no shortage of potential routes.”

The ship is scheduled for delivery in December 2025.

On October 18th, 2019, SWS cut steel on China’s first large cruise ship, a Vista-class ship for Carnival. That ship is scheduled to be delivered in 2023.

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