By
Alex Smith |
White label cruise ship provider United Waterways has signed a framework agreement with China Merchant Heavy Industry Jiangsu shipyard to build eight new hybrid vessels for ocean and expedition cruising, which will be available for brands to expand into the cruise market.
The agreement includes the construction of four coastal ships and four expedition ships, with the first delivery expected in 2029. A separate contract has also been signed for the first expedition vessel, with delivery set for 2028. The agreement marks a return for United Waterways to the ocean and expedition cruising market after the sale of a previous joint venture.
“With the success of the many prestigious brands on the River, we see a natural transition for our clients to extend their offerings onto the ocean,” said Mathias Krachts, managing director at Ocean Advice. “With the incredible fast pace that our river cruise partners moved into the River Slots after the announcement, we believe that we can sign these ships for our partners within the next 12 months. Three of these eight slots have been already reserved, which shows the high demand for new and sustainable tonnage in this market segment.”
The vessels are being developed by Ocean Advice, a United Waterways subsidiary. The coastal ships will be designed to carry up to 260 passengers, while the expedition vessels will accommodate up to 186. Each ship will be able to access smaller ports not reachable on larger cruise vessels.
“The design and much of the technology will be imported from Europe and the US, and enhanced with China's electrification knowledge,” said Kracht. “This will provide us with a hybrid ship that will comply with the stringent sustainability standards existing in or planned in the future for its intended cruising areas.”