China delivers Adora Flora City cruise ship in Shanghai
China’s second domestically built large cruise ship, the Adora Flora City, was officially delivered in Shanghai on Friday, measuring 341 meters in length and surpassing the dimensions of three standard football fields laid end to end, globaltimes.cn reported.
Building Series Construction Capacity in Shanghai
This handover represents a significant transition for China’s large cruise ship initiative, moving past initial single-vessel achievements into batch manufacturing. Often referred to as the three crown jewels of the shipbuilding sector alongside aircraft carriers and liquefied natural gas carriers, large cruise ships act as a vital benchmark for evaluating a nation’s comprehensive industrial manufacturing prowess. While the first domestically built vessel, the Adora Magic City, marked a breakthrough from nothing to something, the second vessel has demonstrated the ability to move from something to excellence, according to state media reports.
Construction on the Adora Flora City began in August 2022 at Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited. The vessel is larger in scale, features more advanced intelligent technologies, and was constructed with significantly higher efficiency than its predecessor.
Chen Jianwei, deputy general manager of Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding, noted in a report that the second ship required nearly 4 million fewer total man-hours than the first. Construction time was cut by eight months, and the domestic content of interior outfitting materials reached 80 percent.
Comparing the Vessels Across Tonnage and Dimensions
The two Chinese-built large cruise ships are not simple replicas of each other. The Adora Flora City brings distinct updates in physical capacity and onboard metrics compared to the Adora Magic City.
| Metric | Adora Magic City (First Vessel) | Adora Flora City (Second Vessel) |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Tonnage | Approx. tons | 141,900 tons |
| Hull Width | 37.2 meters | 37.2 meters |
| Guest Cabins | cabins | 2,130 cabins |
| Passenger Capacity | passengers | Over 5,200 (5,232 full capacity) |
The new ship’s gross tonnage has increased by 6,400 tonnes, and its total length has increased by 17.4 meters. Chen Gang, on-site chief commander and chief designer of the domestically built large cruise ship project, stated that the vessel has as many as 25 million parts and drives the development of about 1,500 upstream and downstream supporting suppliers.
The hull is 37.2 meters wide, exceeding the lateral width of a 12-story residential building. This broad hull enhances the ship’s stability and resistance to pitching and waves at sea.
Noise Reduction Keeps Indoor Levels Below 45 Decibels
All cabins throughout the ship have undergone professional noise-reduction and vibration-damping testing. Under the ship’s maximum operating conditions, indoor noise is strictly kept below 45 decibels.
The vessel features 28 restaurants and bars, an 800-seat grand theater, and a 200-meter circular running track at sea. It can accommodate more than 5,200 passengers across its 2,130 cabins.
Preparations for the Inaugural Voyage to Guangzhou
Following its handover, the Adora Flora City will undergo test runs along with other necessary preparations prior to its maiden voyage. Guangzhou Nansha International Cruise Home Port is set to receive the vessel on November 12, ahead of its official debut season departing from Guangzhou on November 22.
The city of Guangzhou is dubbed the Flora City. Following the delivery of the second ship, Chen Gang announced that conceptual design work for the third domestically built large cruise ship has already commenced.