Work has officially begun on China's first two domestically-made large luxury cruise ships, reports Xinhua. China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) signed an agreement to build two 135,000-metric-ton cruise ships in partnership with British-American cruise operator Carnival Corporation and the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri on Tuesday in Shanghai, the host city of the ongoing China International Import Expo.

An artist's rendering of China's 135,000-metric ton cruise ship, which will be built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation in partnership with British-American cruise operator Carnival Corporation and the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. [Photo provided by CSSC]

Each ship will be equipped with over 2,000 passenger rooms and will be capable of accommodating more than 5,000 passengers. The ships, which each come with a price tag of 770 million U.S. dollars, will cater to China's burgeoning tourism market: Data from Goldman Sachs points to a 70 percent annual rise in the number of China's cruise ship passengers from 2013 to 2016. And Cruise Industry News said that about 2.8 million tourists from China went on at least one cruise trip last year.

An artist's rendering of China's 135,000-metric ton cruise ship, which will be built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation in partnership with British-American cruise operator Carnival Corporation and the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. [Photo provided by CSSC]

The project marks a significant milestone in the evolution of China's shipbuilding industry, according to the CSSC. The first of the vessels is scheduled to be delivered in September 2023, and the second will follow in 2024. And the agreement left open the option for the construction of another four ships.