China's 2nd domestically built large cruise ship cuts construction hours by over 20 percent

Photo shows China's second domestically built large cruise ship, Adora Flora City. (Photo from Xinmin Evening News)

At Dock No. 2 of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., the massive hull of China's second domestically built large cruise ship, Adora Flora City, gleamed under the sunlight as workers installed prefabricated cabins with precision. Real-time synchronization of installation data via 3D digital models and a domestically developed monitoring system ensured all parameters met required standards. Construction is currently over 86 percent complete on the 141,900-gross-ton vessel.

Following the 2023 launch of China's first domestically built large cruise ship, Adora Magic City, a major breakthrough in the country's large cruise ship manufacturing, Adora Flora City introduces greater complexity. At 17.4 meters longer, the ship features an expanded hull structure, an additional 735 square meters of public space, and 1,913 square meters of outdoor areas, raising the bar for space utilization and safety. The project also involves more simultaneous workflows, increasing management demands.

"Adora Flora City must expand capacity and functionality while maintaining strict controls on weight and cost, and still reduce total construction hours by more than 20 percent," said Wu Xiaoyuan, head of the interior outfitting site.

This efficiency was made possible by technological innovation. A shared bracket system, refined through more than 150 trials during the previous project, reduced the number of support legs by 30 percent, saving space and minimizing welding deformation. A full-ship 3D digital model enabled "virtual shipbuilding," cutting later-stage modification by 80 percent. Over 1,100 prefabricated cabins reduced installation time per cabin from 200 hours to 50 hours, shortening the interior outfitting phase by eight months compared with Adora Magic City.

China's first domestically built large cruise ship, Adora Magic City, berths at the Qingdao International Cruise Terminal in Qingdao, east China's Shandong province. (Photo/Yang Xuemei)

Key components such as the ship's elevator entertainment system and balcony engineering package have all been localized, while most interior materials and furniture are now sourced from Chinese suppliers, enhancing industrial self-reliance.

"In the past, we relied on foreign experts for equipment debugging. Now, our engineers manage most issues independently," said Chen Gang, chief commander and designer of the cruise ship project. A new generation of engineers is now leading innovation, transforming lessons from Adora Magic City into a foundation for independent development.

Adora Flora City has completed its main generator load test and achieved its central control system ahead of schedule. With 63 percent of its 2,838 passenger and crew cabins installed, the ship is on track for float-out in March, sea trials in May, and international deployment from Nansha, Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong province by the end of the year.

Behind the construction is the emergence of an entire industrial chain. As a "floating golden industry," cruise shipbuilding generates a 14-fold output multiplier across downstream sectors. From the pioneering Adora Magic City to the streamlined Adora Flora City, China's large cruise ship projects have cultivated a network of local suppliers meeting international standards, boosting the competitiveness of the shipbuilding sector and energizing high-end manufacturing and cultural tourism.

According to Li Yanqing, secretary-general of the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry, during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), China's shipbuilding sector has capitalized on global trends toward green transformation and market expansion, achieving key breakthroughs in green, low-carbon technologies and high-end vessel development. China has now established comprehensive marine product assembly and construction capabilities, maintaining the world's largest shipbuilding market share for 16 consecutive years.