Up to 12 vessels! State-owned shipbuilders secure major cruise ship orders from overseas owners

Recently, China Merchants Shipbuilding Industry has secured orders for up to 12 cruise ships from two overseas shipowners.

On December 2, during the 2025 China International Maritime Exhibition, China Merchants Cruise Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. and Mystic Cruises held a signing ceremony for a 1+3 sail cruise ship construction contract. Mystic Cruises President Mario Ferreira and China Merchants Shipbuilding Industry Deputy General Manager and China Merchants Cruise Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. General Manager Mei Zhonghua signed the agreement on behalf of both parties. Key executives from Mystic Cruises and China Merchants Shipbuilding Industry attended and witnessed the signing.

The 1+3 sail-powered cruise ships will feature a trinity new energy propulsion system. Building on this agreement, both parties will deepen cooperation and advance together to establish this series as a global benchmark for green cruise ships, injecting powerful new momentum into the high-quality development of the cruise industry.

Mystic Cruises, a subsidiary of Portugal's Mystic Invest Group, specializes in operating small expedition vessels with a passenger capacity of just 200. This allows for more personalized service onboard, access to smaller, more secluded ports, and minimized environmental impact while taking passengers to extraordinary and off-the-beaten-path destinations.

Meanwhile, Swiss company United Waterways announced on December 2 that it had signed a framework agreement with China Merchants Shipbuilding Industry to build eight hybrid vessels, including four coastal cruise ships and four expedition cruise ships. The formal contract for the first expedition cruise ship has already been signed, with the new vessel scheduled for delivery in 2028.

United Waterways stated that all eight vessels will be constructed by China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu), a shipyard with extensive experience building ships for internationally renowned expedition cruise brands. The new ships' designs and most technologies will originate from Europe and the United States, enhanced by China's expertise in electrification.

Ocean Advice, a subsidiary of United Waterways, will oversee the search for operating partners for this White Label series. The four expedition vessels will accommodate up to 186 passengers, while the coastal cruisers will carry 260 passengers, continuing the intimate and comfortable experience of small river cruises.

Mathias Kracht, Managing Director of Ocean Advice, stated: “With the success of numerous premium brands in the river cruise market, we observed a natural extension of our clients' business toward the ocean. This led us to create the White Label brand. We will gain access to numerous small coastal ports—areas where our destination-focused partners excel—that are inaccessible via river routes and cannot accommodate large ocean liners.”

Kracht noted the company expects to secure partners for all eight vessels within the next 12 months, with three ships already reserved for anonymous operators—demonstrating significant market demand for new, sustainable ships.

United Waterways, a Swiss management company, has managed expedition and cruise vessels in recent years but has not previously engaged in ship ownership. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, the company was founded by Robert Straubhaar, former Executive Vice President of Viking River Cruises.

This latest order marks China Merchants Shipbuilding Industry's first cruise vessel contract from an overseas owner in nearly three years, following its seventh expedition cruise ship construction agreement with U.S.-based Sunstone Ships in early 2023. It is understood that China Merchants Shipbuilding is among China's first shipbuilders to construct cruise vessels. It initially signed a 4+6-vessel contract with Sunstone Ships in 2017 for the construction of Infinity-class polar expedition ships. In 2019, it delivered China's first polar expedition ship domestically, pioneering the era of “Made in China” cruise ships and leading the development of China's cruise ship manufacturing industry.

Currently, China Merchants Shipbuilding has established comprehensive cruise ship manufacturing capabilities encompassing R&D, design, construction, equipment supply, and maintenance services. It has delivered a total of 6 polar expedition cruise ships, 1 luxury Yangtze River cruise ship, and 2 high-end coastal cruise ships, establishing an independent ship design portfolio covering inland waterways, coastal waters, and ocean voyages. Among these, the independently designed and built polar expedition cruise ship project was honored with the Commendation Award at the 7th China Industry Awards.