(Yicai) July 23 -- China's second large cruise ship will have Guangzhou as its home port to meet the needs of customers in southern China.

The cruise ship's operator Adora Cruises today signed a cooperation agreement with Guangzhou Nansha International Cruise Home Port to jointly drive the development of the local cruise industry, CCTV News reported.

With a total cost of CNY5.5 billion (USD756 million), the ship kicked off construction in Shanghai in August 2022.

The new ship, which has entered the final assembly phase, will be delivered on schedule by the end of 2026 and depart for its first international journey from the Port of Nansha the following year, according to CCTV News.

"We will refine the product design to show local cultural characteristics after the ship's deployments in Guangzhou," the report cited Adora's Chairman Yang Guobing as saying.

China's first homegrown large cruise ship Adora Magic City launched operation in Shanghai in January. It sails from Shanghai to Jeju Island in South Korea, Nagasaki and Fukuoka in Japan, and back to Shanghai.

Compared to the Adora Magic City, the new cruise ship has wider spaces and more complete service facilities, with the routes mostly destined for South and Southeast Asia, Yang noted. It will be bigger and heavier than its predecessor, with 142,000 tons and 2,144 luxury cabins.

Established in 2016, Adora is a joint venture between China State Shipbuilding Corporation and Italy's Fincantieri. CSSC holds a 60 percent stake, and Fincantieri the remaining 40 percent.

Editor: Futura Costaglione