Construction of ship replica put on hold

The construction of the world's biggest handmade wooden ship, which was supposed to make its maiden voyage in 2014, has been suspended in Nanjing, Jiangsu province.

To commemorate Admiral Zheng He (1371-1433), who undertook seven voyages on a treasure ship around the rim of the Indian Ocean in the 1400s, the government of Nanjing's Gulou district teamed up with a Malaysian electronics company to construct a replica.

The two sides raised $10 million and set up Nanjing Junlong Treasure Ship Properties in October 2005 to carry out the construction. According to their plan, the replica was to go on a trial journey in April 2008.