VESSEL REVIEW | Bo Sai Dong 66 – New tour boat for Xiamen City boasts 450-pax capacity

Chinese operator the Xiamen Bo Sai Dong Tourism Group recently took delivery of a new sightseeing vessel. Classed by China Classification Society, the all-steel Bo Sai Dong 66 (“Bo Sai East 66”) was built by Wuxi Dongfang Ship Research High Performance Boat Engineering Company, a subsidiary of China Shipbuilding Research Centre.

The newbuild has an LOA of 64.6 metres, a beam of 13.8 metres, a draught of 2.5 metres, a gross tonnage of 1,879, and capacity for 450 passengers across four decks. These attributes make Bo Sai Dong 66 the largest sightseeing vessel currently in operation in Fujian province. Its introduction into service is part of a broader initiative by the city of Xiamen to replace its fleet of aging tour vessels with newer ones boasting lower carbon and noise emissions.

A diesel-electric propulsion system was incorporated to enable the vessel to comply with local regulations covering noise levels and environmental impact. The propulsion system includes a Chongqing Cummins K38-DM main engine with a rated output of 746 kW at 1,500 rpm, three Stamford HCM634K 690kW generator sets, and two propellers. This allows the vessel to sail at 13 knots while ensuring the outside sound heard from inside the onboard passenger spaces is kept below 56 dB.

The onboard spaces include conference rooms that double as private dining areas, an open-air upper deck with tables plus dining and lounge seating, and banquet halls with bars on the main deck and deck three. These latter areas were designed to also serve as venues for live entertainment and other private events such as weddings and corporate activities. The PA system, speakers, subwoofers, audio processors, and other related systems installed in these areas of the vessel were supplied as part of a complete package from Turbosound.

The vessel is also equipped with a fast rescue boat. This is to be deployed from the stern via a dedicated crane.

Bo Sai Dong 66 was handed over to its new owners in February 2022 and commenced operational sailings the following month. The vessel’s main area of operations encompasses the waters off Xiamen on China’s southeastern coast.

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