A Chongqing-based company has announced plans to build China's
largest luxury cruise liner on the Yangtze River.
Work began on the construction of the ship on Monday and is
expected to be finished in early 2009, according to Dongjiang
Industrial Co. Ltd.
The ship, named "Kaizhen", will cost 85 million yuan (about 11.3
million U.S. dollars) to build and will hold 426 passengers and 181
crew members. It will be 133.8 meters in length, 19.8 meters in
width and reach 26 km per hour.
"We plan to launch the new ship for our tourism service on the
Yangtze River in order to be well positioned for the golden tourism
peak season before the 2010 Shanghai World Expo," the company said
in a statement.
The luxury liner will have a five-storey complex that includes a
theater.
(Xinhua News Agency November 20, 2007)
