Large cruise ships built in China are driving the revival of the cruise industry

Photo: Ji Haixin/People's Daily

SHANGHAI / At around 11 a.m. on May 26, China's first large domestic cruise ship, Adora Magic City, docked at the cruise ship terminal on Baoyang Road in Shanghai's Baoshan district, preparing for its 35th cruise since its maiden commercial voyage on January 1 this year.

Since its maiden voyage, the Adora Magic City has so far received approximately 150,000 passengers, with an average occupancy rate of over 95 percent, said Liu Hui, general manager of CSSC Cruise Technology Development Co., Ltd. (CCTD), the operator of the Adora Magic City and a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC). The figure indicates a good start for the cruise ship, Liu added.

After a while, the passengers began to board the cruise ship, went through customs and immigration and were warmly welcomed by the crew members.

The cruise ship industry is characterised by a strong catalytic effect, a long industrial chain and a high degree of internationalisation. According to Liu, the cruise industry encompasses the entire process chain, from research and development to design, shipbuilding, operations and the supply chain - every step is crucial.

Meanwhile, CCTD has formed an industry cluster in Shanghai, covering the entire cruise ship system from R&D and design to final assembly, supply chain and operation, Liu added.

In terms of research and development and design, CCTD has set up a joint venture with Italian shipbuilding company Fincantieri, CSSC-Fincantieri Cruise Industry Development Ltd, to work on cruise ship design. This has enhanced the company's ability to offer comprehensive cruise ship design services and provide project management support to shipyards.

In terms of supply chain development, CCTD has fully taken over the German cruise ship interior company R&M and established R&M Cruise Interior Technologies (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. It has become the first Chinese general contractor capable of independently furnishing the public areas of large cruise ships.

"Cruise ship interiors are subject to more stringent requirements compared to conventional home furnishings. For example, the materials for cruise ship sofas must be lighter and more environmentally friendly," said Gu Bin, deputy general manager of R&M Cruise Interior Technologies (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.

In order to enhance its operational capabilities in the cruise industry, CCTD established Adora Cruises Ltd. in 2018, which is fully capable of operating cruises and is continuously adopting advanced management experience from international cruise companies to improve its operations and management.

Adora Cruises Ltd.'s operations team consists of globally sought-after talent with extensive industry experience, which has helped the company achieve significant growth in areas such as marketing, product and hotel management, marine management and new ship supervision.

Shanghai has provided support in port production and operation and built a ship supply base to promote the development of the cruise industry.

China's cruise industry is moving towards market-driven, internationalized and professional development.

The Adora Magic City boasts 1,300 crew members from more than 30 countries. Approximately 8 of the cruise ship's % passengers come from overseas, from more than 20 countries.

The cruise ship has more than 20 international suppliers, and more than 1000 Chinese and foreign manufacturers have participated in its design and construction, which has incubated and cultivated key enterprises in cruise ship research, development and design, final assembly and basic support facilities. This has stimulated the development of relevant industries such as manufacturing, construction, energy and transportation, and effectively promoted economic circulation.

It is reported that pre-sale tickets for Adora Magic City have been stretched until September this year. Leading a new fashion trend among Chinese consumers.

According to statistics released by China's Ministry of Transport on April 29, more than 10 international cruise ships have been sailing in Chinese ports since the beginning of this year. Together, they handled more than 190,000 passengers in the first quarter of this year. In particular, the Adora Magic City and Mediterranea ships operated by Adora Cruises Ltd. accounted for about 70 percent of the total number of passengers. The Chinese cruise market is expected to continue its steady recovery.

People's Daily-Hongyu, Liang Jun/gnews.cz-JaV_07

http://en.people.cn/n3/2024/0607/c90000-20179141.html