The cruise ship market in China continues to develop rapidly. In 2016, the number of Chinese travellers to take an overseas cruise exceeded two million for the first time. This fast-growing interest in cruising is stimulating other areas of the country’s cruise industry, from shipbuilding to port construction.
According to the CCYIA, the China’s ten major port cities alone received 2,261,400 Chinese and foreigners travelling by cruise ship in 2016. This represents an 82% increase from the previous year. Among these travellers, the number of Chinese tourists by outbound trip reached 2,122,600, up 91% from 2015. The number of foreign travellers entering China by cruise ship was 138,700, up 8%. The figures are doubled if one counts outward and return visits.
With RINA’s support, after the successful delivery of the “Glory of the Seas” conversion project, the Shanghai-based Diamond Cruise International Company approved a plan to build one 37,000 GT cruise ship in a Chinese shipyard. Currently, the project is at the stage of design verification. The owner has announced that the vessel will be classed with RINA.
RINA China and RINA Cruise Ships Excellent Centre have been heavily involved with many cruise projects, providing crucial technical support and consultancy services. This includes significant amounts of training. Senior advisors with long lasting experience in the cruise ships building industry, retired senior experts from Fincantieri, RINA’s site manager in the Mitsubishi cruise newbuilding project, as well as experts in the RINA rules and regulations department, are among those who have provided training and workshops to clients.
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