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The Zhao Shang Yi Dun docks at the Shekou Cruise Homeport on Saturday. Courtesy of China Merchants Group
A ceremony for the maiden voyage of the Zhao Shang Yi Dun, China’s first luxury cruise ship, was held at the Shekou Cruise Homeport on Saturday, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.
The ship will offer coastal cruises in China.
The Zhao Shang Yi Dun is the first luxury cruise ship flying the Chinese flag and the first ship operated and managed by China. This vessel will enhance the cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao, and expand the development for cruise tourism.
The cruise ship, purchased by China Merchants Group, is renamed from the Viking Sun cruise ship which was built by Italian Fincantieri S.p.A in 2017. The cruise ship has a length of 228.2 meters, a width of 28.8 meters, a gross tonnage of 47,800 tons, nine decks, 465 cabins with balconies and a capacity of 930 passengers.
The ship is equipped with seven restaurants and several entertainment venues, including a fitness center, a spa center, a theater, two cinemas and swimming pools. The cruise ship uses energy-saving hybrid engines and is equipped with novel devices such as solar panels for river cruise ships.
In November last year, China Merchants Shekou inked an agreement with Viking Cruises to develop cruise tourism in China, starting with the then Viking Sun. Under the agreement, the two companies have set up a joint venture focusing on the Chinese market, including operating a fleet of China-flagged ships offering coastal cruises.
