<img src=' alt='China's second domestically built large cruise ship, Adora Flora City, successfully completed its floating in dock on March 14, 2026. /China Media Group'
China’s second domestically built large cruise ship, Adora Flora City, has successfully completed its floating in dock in Shanghai on Saturday. The achievement marks a critical transition from structural assembly to internal outfitting.
Following the float-up, the vessel was shifted to the front dock for a critical inclination test. As a core technical stage before undocking, this test determines the ship’s precise weight and center of gravity, factors that are vital to both the vessel’s stability and the comfort of its passengers.
This round of undocking operations is scheduled to last seven days. During this window, engineers will also conduct lifeboat release tests and “in-dock cruising” to verify the performance of the ship’s 18 mega-lifeboats and two rescue boats under both normal and emergency conditions.
Adora Flora City is expected to officially undock on March 20, with sea trials slated for late May and final delivery scheduled before the end of the year.
A pillar of China’s marine economy
The progress of the Adora Flora City comes as China’s marine economy enters a new phase of high-quality growth. Speaking at the Ministers’ Corridor during the 2026 Two Sessions, Minister of Natural Resources Guan Zhi’ou revealed that China’s Gross Ocean Product (GOP) exceeded 11 trillion yuan ($1.6 trillion) in 2025, accounting for 7.9% of the national GDP.
The cruise industry is a burgeoning highlight of the country’s blue economy. China’s first home-grown large cruise ship, the Adora Magic City, has already handled over 1 million passengers since its commercial debut, reaching the milestone during the recent Chinese New Year holiday.
Guan emphasized that the ocean has become a “strategic space” for development, with shipbuilding and marine engineering equipment now ranking among the world’s largest sectors.
With the Adora Flora City soon to join the fleet, China is not only expanding its high-end manufacturing capabilities but also solidifying its position as a global leader in the integrated development of marine tourism and advanced maritime technology.