The growing interests in Maritime Silk Road has prompted at least two companies in China to establish cruises to destinations dotted along this ancient sea route. Alan Lam reports.

In February this year the first-ever nine-day Maritime Silk Road cruise was launched from Beibuwan Cruise Terminal in China’s Guangxi Province to Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia, with calls at Da Nang, Nha Trang, Genting and Kuantan. This itinerary will now be extended to include Redang Island in Malaysia from May.

With the approval of the State Department of Transportation, the ASEAN Haishangsilu Cruise Lines began operations shortly before the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year), using the 9,960 gross ton con-pax vessel, Beibu Gulf Star. The vessel is certified to carry 399 passengers and 160 TEU of containers.

In April 2013, Coconut Princess, a ro-pax supply vessel, began offering cruises from Hainan Province to Xisha Islands. It has so far undertaken about 40 voyages, carrying about 6,000 tourists to these destinations. With the growing interest in the Silk Road, this operation was re-routed and rebranded as a Maritime Silk Road cruise only two days after the launch of Beibu Gulf Star cruises.

China’s National Tourism Administration declared 2015 as the year of Silk Road Tourism. The 200-berth Coconut Princess route is one of seven Maritime Silk Road cruises Hainan Province Tourism Commission has announced.

It is believe that these itineraries will proliferate in the coming years. More cruise lines will emerge on this route. Although, at present, the cruises are generally more expensive and ships less modern, the demand for far-flung destinations is growing among the Chinese clientele. The nascent ocean cruise business in China is segmenting and the demand for expeditionary-type itineraries is growing in the shadow of the Asian mass market gold rush.