In the morning of 6th September, China Merchants Industry Holdings Co.,Ltd. (hereinafter refers to as CMI) successfully held the christening and delivery ceremony for China’s first expedition cruise ship and foundation laying ceremony for cruise shipbuilding base in Haimen. “The Cruise No.1”, the first cruise ship of CMI’s Expedition Cruise Series Project and also the first expedition cruise ship in the history of Chinese shipbuilding, paved the way for “Chinese Made Cruise Ship”. The successful delivery of “The Cruise No.1” marks that CMI has started to enter into the field of cruise shipbuilding construction and laid a solid foundation for China to move from a big shipbuilding country to a powerful shipbuilding country. Meanwhile, China Merchants Industry Cruise Manufacturing Base, The Cruise Supporting Industrial Park and International Cruise City was officially started on the same day.

Niels, president and CEO of Sunstone, Claude Maillot, president of French ship inspection firm Bureau Veritas in North Asia, Wang Cuijun, Deputy General Manager of China Merchants Group, Luo Dongjiang, Wu Andi, and Chen Zuofu, Outside Directors of China Merchants Group, Simple Hu, General Manager of CMI, Guo Dacheng, Chairman of China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry, Mo Jianhui, President and Chairman of CCS,and other leaders and guests all attended the ceremony.

Mr. Wang Cuijun, Mr. Wangjiang, Mr. Lu Zhipeng, Mr. Chenyong, Mr. Niels, and Mr. Claude Maillot delivered speeches receptively.

The ceremony was chaired by Simple Hu, General Manager of CMI.

Wang Cuijun expressed that the year 2019 is the 70th anniversary of the founding of PRC. In the past 70 years, to realize “cruise made in China” has always been the dream of our shipbuilders and also an important step to make China a country with strong transportation network, manufacturing power, and maritime power. Since 2013, China Merchants Group (hereinafter refers to as CMG) has started making further research about the development situation of cruise industry of home and abroad, put forward clearly that we would make the development of shipbuilding, port, shipping, logistics, finance and other core business throughout the whole cruise industrial chain, and took “cruise shipbuilding” as CMG’s strategic development direction. “The Cruise No.1” that we delivered today and the foundation of Cruise Shipbuilding Base are great achievements and core measures of CMG’s layout of the whole industrial chain of cruise ships. From signing of contract to deliver, “The Cruise No.1” project only took 28 months. We made a miracle in the industry with a unique “CMG Speed”.

Niels said, I’m so grateful that we choose CMG to build this cruise liner and I want to express my thanks to CMG’s great attention and support to the cruise project. Thanks to CMI’s cruise shipbuilding project team. Without your hardwork, high professional capability, attitude, devotion, and enthusiasm, the expedition cruise ship cannot be delivered on time and reach the European quality standards. We look forward to the next 6 cruise ships and hopefully that we will have more cooperation in the future.

Claude Maillot, president of French ship inspection firm Bureau Veritas in North Asia, highly praised this cruise liner, thinking that it meets the highest standards of safety and comfort. The cruise liner is not only a ship but also a milestone in the history of China’s shipbuilding industry, which shows China’s ambition of competing in the world market, said Claude Maillot.

It is reported that China’s first polar expedition cruise ship was officially named Greg Mortimer. The ship is scheduled to make its 12-day maiden voyage to Antarctica and the tickets have been sold out, with prices ranging from $10,500 to $11,800 per person.

Extended Reading:

“The Cruise No.1” is the first cruise made by CMI under the contract of 7+3 Polar Expedition Cruise ship with Sunstone. It started construction in 16th March, 2018 in CMI’s Haimen Base. The cruise ship is 104.4 meters by 18.4 meters, with a design speed up to 16.3 knots, compliance with regulations of SRtP, USPH, USCG and in line with Ice Class 1A, POLAR CLASS 6（HULL）, and Polar Code POLAR CAT-B. According to the latest polar parameter standard, it meets the most rigorous safety and environment protection requirements and regulation ever. It can sail freely in high latitude areas and across the earth, and has unique business prospects in high-end market segments.

China Merchants Group has made systematic planning and layout in the whole cruise industry chain. In 2018, it planned a world-class cruise manufacturing base and cruise supporting industrial park covering an area of 650,000 square meters. The breakthrough of the two bases will become an important starting point for China Merchants Group to “build a full-scale industrial chain of cruise ships”and accelerate the construction of medium and large sized luxury cruise ships, so as to fully realize the “Cruise Made in China”.