United Waterways recently announced on its official website that, following the order for its first expedition cruise ship, its subsidiary Ocean Advice has placed another order with China Merchants Cruise Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (China Merchants Cruise) for one expedition cruise ship and one coastal cruise ship, which are expected to be delivered in 2029.
In December 2025, Ocean Advice signed a framework agreement with China Merchants Cruise for the construction of eight cruise ships, including four coastal cruise ships and four expedition cruise ships. At that time, the plan was to finalize contracts for the construction of all eight ships within the next 12 months.
The four expedition cruise ships are being operated by the polar expedition cruise operator Poseidon Expeditions; the first vessel has entered production and is expected to be delivered in September 2028.
To date, five of the eight cruise ships covered by the framework agreement have been confirmed for construction; of these, two expedition cruise ships and one coastal cruise ship have already entered into force, while two additional expedition cruise ships are in the final stages of contract negotiations.
According to United Waterways, the expedition cruise ships can accommodate 186 passengers and are classified by Det Norske Veritas (DNV); the coastal cruise ships can accommodate 260 passengers. Both ship types offer passengers the same level of comfort and relaxation as small river cruise ships, and can access waterways that large ocean-going cruise ships cannot navigate, as well as small coastal ports that cannot accommodate large ocean-going cruise ships.
In terms of propulsion, both cruise ships will utilize hybrid power systems. They will incorporate advanced ship design concepts and environmentally friendly technologies, while fully leveraging China’s technical strengths in the field of electrification to undergo upgrades and optimizations. The resulting hybrid vessels will meet the stringent sustainability standards—both current and future—applicable to their designated operating areas.
The ocean program was launched to extend UNITED WATERWAYS’ successful white-label management model from rivers to the ocean sector, providing operators and brands with access to purpose-built expedition and coastal cruise vessels supported by comprehensive technical, nautical and hospitality management services. The program includes four expedition ships and four coastal cruise ships.
Since the end of 2025, in addition to the framework agreement signed with Ocean Advice for the construction of eight cruise ships, China Merchants Cruise Shipbuilding has also signed a contract with Mystic Cruises—a cruise brand under Portugal’s MysticInvest Group—for the construction of one plus three sailing cruise ships; and has reached a letter of intent with European shipowner Ulyssia Residences for the construction of the mega-residential superyacht “Ulyssia,” which is reportedly valued at up to $1.5 billion.
Record shows that China Merchants Cruise Shipbuilding is a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Merchants Industry Group. Established in Haimen, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, in September 2018, it operates in coordination with China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd., which was founded in 2013. Including China’s first polar expedition cruise ship built entirely in-house, China Merchants Cruise Shipbuilding has now delivered multiple expedition cruise ships and has accumulated extensive experience in cruise ship construction.