VESSEL REVIEW | Shiji Jiangshan Rushi – Electric inland tour boat to serve China's Chongqing municipality

Chinese shipowner Chongqing Guanda Century Cruise has begun operational sailings of a new electric sightseeing vessel designed for navigating inland waters.

Shiji Jiangshan Rushi (世纪 江山如诗; “Century Poetry”) was built by Chongqing Zhongjiang Shipbuilding in compliance with China Classification Society rules. The vessel will be operated on the Yangtze River and the Three Gorges Reservoir between the counties of Fengjie and Maoping in the southwestern municipality of Chongqing with each one-way journey lasting seven hours.

Additional onboard spaces featuring enhanced outside views

The newbuild has an LOA of 100 metres (330 feet), a beam of 15.8 metres (51.8 feet), a depth of 4.35 metres (14.3 feet), a design draught of 2.65 metres (8.69 feet), and a maximum capacity of 650 guests distributed across five decks. The electric propulsion system delivers a service speed of approximately 14.8 knots.

The interiors have been laid out to provide an atmosphere similar to that of luxury cruise ships to keep guests entertained on long inland voyages. Approximately 80 per cent of the onboard spaces feature outside viewing via windows while the available rest areas can accommodate half of the maximum passenger capacity at any given time.

The vessel also features shock-absorbing and sound-dampening elements to help reduce noise and vibration. The exterior around the passenger spaces is made of low-emissivity coated glass to create a 360-degree transparent wall that allows as much natural light as possible to enter the interior spaces during daytime in addition to providing passengers with near-unobstructed views of the outside.

The ceilings of the inner bow and stern and the double-deck staircase space are also all made of glass, further enhancing natural brightness.

Broad selection of amenities ideal for long voyages

The onboard facilities include a lobby, an atrium, two restaurants, bars, a cafe, 16 private dining/meeting rooms, enclosed and open-air observation lounges, a children’s play area, a photo studio/store, a theatre with seating for up to 100, and venues for live entertainment and private events.