China’s first domestically built ship, Adora Magic City, was floated out last week and is one step closer to her long-awaited delivery by the end of 2023. She is currently going through a series of trials and equipment testing
According to her shipbuilder, Shanghai Waigaoqioa Shipbuilding Company, Adora Magic City is scheduled to make her first trial voyage in July with a second to follow in August.
General Manager of Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding, Chen Gang, said, “This is a new milestone in China’s cruise ship manufacturing. Building large cruise ships is a symbolic accomplishment in China’s shipbuilding industry, marking its transition from a large shipbuilding nation into a major shipbuilding power.”
Chen Rangfeng, Managing Director of CSSC Carnival Cruise Shipping Limited, said, ” Building large cruise ships is a tremendous breakthrough in China’s shipbuilding industry and a demonstration of the country’s high-end equipment construction capabilities and comprehensive scientific and technological level. As the first large cruise ship built in China, Adora Magic City showcases our commitment to providing an innovative and premium cruise experience. We look forward to welcoming our guests on board and creating unforgettable memories together.”
The undocking operation began on June 1, 2023, with the flooding of the vessel’s building dock. The testing of safety equipment and lifeboats was also carried out. Adora Magic City is also equipped with 20 “super-large” lifeboats that were also launched and tested.
The ship’s hull doors and portholes were tested for sealing and tightness with a system that uses high-pressure water guns intended to simulate sea navigation. At the end of her six-day undocking operation, the ship underwent tilt tests to ensure stability under different sea conditions.
Adora Magic City is on schedule to be delivered by the end of 2023. As the first large cruise ship ever built in China, she will be operated by Adora Cruises and will embark from the Port of Shanghai on both domestic and international itineraries.
The Adora brand, launched in 2022, is a joint collaboration between Carnival Corporation and China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC).