New "ro-ro" ship heads for Taiwan Strait

A new luxury "ro-ro" passenger ship — meaning roll-on/roll-off — is ready for delivery and heading from Guangzhou, Guangdong province, to the Taiwan Strait.

The ship, built by Guangzhou Shipyard International Co for COSCO Shipping Corp, was officially named the COSCO Star on Thursday in the city's Nansha district.

The ship will operate between the Chinese mainland and the island of Taiwan, further strengthening connections across the Taiwan Strait.

Zhou Xuhui, president of GSI, said the ship will further enhance economic, trade and personnel exchanges and cooperation.

It is 180 meters long and 25.8 meters wide and is designed to accommodate more than 300 passengers. It can also carry 426 standard containers.

The vessel is an energy-saving and environmentally friendly ro-ro design, which can reach a speed of 20 knots, equivalent to about 37 kilometers per hour. It can carry passengers, cars, trucks, container trailers, roll on/roll off cargo and refrigerated containers.

The contract for building the ship was signed in June 2023, with construction beginning in February last year. It was designed by the Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute.

GSI is a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corp and is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. It is located on Longxue Island at the mouth of the Pearl River.