The first cruise ship built in China sets sail on its maiden voyage

The country is entering a sector currently dominated by European industrialists.

The first cruise ship built in China set sail from Shanghai for its maiden voyage on Monday January 1. This departure symbolizes the country’s progress in the shipbuilding sector, today dominated by European industrialists. For its first navigation, the Adora Magic City and its sixteen bridges, according to official Chinese media, is heading towards South Korea and Japan.

Designed to attract China’s middle class and satisfy their growing appetite for international travel, the ship houses a specially dedicated mahjong lounge and a restaurant specializing in Chinese fondue.

Construction of the boat had been delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Lloyd’s Register (LR), which provides the maritime services. After unveiling its largest airliner produced in the country, the C919, in mid-December in Hong Kong to the international press, China is continuing its strategy of emancipating foreign technologies for complex construction projects.

Many of the components of Adora Magic City However, they come from international suppliers. But in the future, “China has the opportunity to build its own supply chain”, estimates Marco Scopaz, LR’s on-site project manager, in an article published on the group’s website. This ship therefore marks, according to him, “the beginning of the country’s rapid and inevitable development in the design and construction of cruise ships”.