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A panda-themed cruise ship in bright yellow color made its debut at the Nansha Passenger Port in Nansha district of Guangzhou on June 30, commencing its trial voyage to tour around Nansha on the Lingding Ocean in the Pearl River estuary.

The cruise ship "Jiaomen" artfully combines the panda theme with distinctive elements of Nansha, such as Mazu culture and the Nansha memorial archway, showcasing the cultural charm of Nansha and its connection with the sea.

In a four-hour cruise journey, passengers were able to visit the Longxue Island (龙穴岛) shipbuilding base, one of the three major shipbuilding bases in China, and two world-class industrial landmarks — the Nansha port area of Guangzhou international shipping hub and the newly opened Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link.

They could also take a distant view of the Nansha International Cruise Home Port, Nansha Tianhou Palace and Shanbanzhou Island (舢舨洲岛) which witnessed the flourish of the Maritime Silk Road a century ago.

As the ship set sail, the imposing Nansha port area gradually came into sight. Towering cranes, stacks of containers, and large cargo ships going back and forth together constitute a bustling port scene that attracted passengers to take photos and videos.

As an important port area of Guangzhou Port, Nansha port has ranked second nationwide in terms of container throughput. It boasts the world's first fully automated terminal for river-sea-rail multi-modal transport, which is also the first newly built automated terminal in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

A close look at the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link was another highlight of the cruise tour that left passengers in awe. The mega cross-sea passage was opened to traffic on the same day after seven years of challenging construction.

Comprising an undersea tunnel, two bridges, and two artificial islands, this monumental link has earned acclaim as one of the most intricate cross-sea cluster projects globally.

The link will soon connect with the Wanqingsha (万顷沙) branch line of Nansha-Zhongshan Expressway, which is expected to be operational by the end of the year. This will greatly enhance the connectivity among Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhongshan, with Nansha serving as a critical junction.

On its way back to the Nansha Passenger Port, the cruise ship passed the Nansha comprehensive cultural and sports complex, Longxuenan (龙穴南) waterway, Xinlong Bridge (新龙大桥) and Fuzhou Bridge (凫洲大桥).

The trial voyage not only enabled passengers to appreciate the beautiful seascape of Nansha, explore its rich culture and industrial advancements, but also demonstrated Nansha's commitment to make further progress towards the sea, according to the cruise operator, adding that more attractive tourism products and services like the cruise tour are planned to be launched in Nansha.

Source and photos: 广州南沙发布

Author: Pauline