Carnival China Cruise Shipping-CSSC's Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co Ltd plans to build a giant new cruise ship - the largest ever built in China, class society RINA revealed.
At 341 m (LOA length) and 140,000 GT tons, the newbuild will have passenger capacity ~6500. The vessel's dimensions are slightly bigger than the two ships the yard is currently building for Carnival Corporation under a joint venture partnership with Fincantieri Italy. The previously-ordered 133,500-GT ships are based on Carnival's Vista-Class. The assembly of the first hull (TBN 2023) started in November 2020. When completed in 2023, the vessel will be the first China-built cruise liner.
Wang Qi (Shanghai Waigaoqi's Chairman) said:
"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.
"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 vessel will be designed with an eye to reducing environmental impact. It will be fitted out with high voltage shoreside-power connectivity.
The newbuild will also be constructed to RINA's "Biosafe Ship" notation for Coronavirus prevention.
The name of the buyer for the new vessel was not disclosed. Delivery is slated for 2025.