Chinese cruise line receives 1st vessel

CSSC Carnival Cruise Shipping Ltd received its first ship on Saturday, marking the start of the China-based cruise company to serve Chinese cruise travelers with its own cruise line, said its chairman.

A 85,861-ton, 2,210-passenger Costa Atlantica was transferred to the new Chinese cruise line on Saturday, the first of two existing ships purchased from Costa Group in a deal between China State Shipbuilding Corp and Carnival Corp in November 2018.

Costa Atlantica's sister ship, the 2,114-passenger Costa Mediterranea, will be transferred to CSSC Carnival Cruise Shipping by the end of this year, said Yang Guobing, chairman of the CSSC Carnival Cruise Shipping.

CSSC Carnival Cruise Shipping, the joint venture between the largest shipbuilding conglomerate, CSSC, and the world's largest leisure travel company, Carnival Corp, was tasked to operate Chinese cruise vessels, including the first domestically-made cruise ship that is scheduled for delivery in September 2023.

"Our mission is to operate and manage a cruise line for Chinese travelers, and to become a flagship Chinese cruise company that contributes to the development of the Chinese cruise market," Yang said.