VESSEL REVIEW | Taihu Lake Sightseeing – Chinese inland tour boat fitted with intelligent systems

Chinese ship designer and builder Wuxi Oriental High-Speed Boat Development has completed construction of a new electric sightseeing vessel for operation on Taihu Lake in Jiangsu province.

Taihu Lake Sightseeing (太湖揽胜; Taihu Lansheng) has an LOA of 32 metres (100 feet), a beam of seven metres (23 feet), and a maximum speed of 7.6 knots.

The vessel consists of a main deck enclosed cabin with panoramic and overhead windows and an open-air upper deck that can also serve as an observation area.

Versatile hybrid electric propulsion arrangement

The vessel’s appearance was inspired by that of the red-billed gull, a migratory bird common to the region. The hull lines were therefore deliberately designed to be smooth and stretched to give the impression of a bird jumping along on the water.

Taihu Lake Sightseeing boasts a hybrid electric propulsion setup consisting of a lithium battery pack and a diesel generator. She can sail on pure electric mode for up to six hours while diesel-electric operation will yield an endurance of 32 hours.

Intelligent monitoring and entertainment features

An intelligent remote monitoring system facilitates the ship-to-shore transfer of the vessel’s operating parameters in real time. Intelligent light, film and sound equipment and glass-free 3D studio screens meanwhile enhance passengers’ experience by providing immersive digital art, thus making the vessel a venue for cultural tourism as well as a sightseeing platform.

The vessel also features extensive LED lighting to facilitate nighttime sailings. The vessel itself becomes highly illuminated, drawing attention from onlookers on shore as she cruises along her namesake lake at night.