On September 28, Chinese shipbuilder Huanghai Shipbuilding officially delivered the 300-passenger combined passenger-cargo luxury cruise ship “ARANOA” built for SAS Aranui Cruises, a subsidiary of the French company CPTM. Following delivery, the vessel will begin operating on routes in the South Pacific, including Tahiti and the surrounding islands.
The “ARANOA” has an overall length of 116 meters, a beam of 21.00 meters, a designed draft of 5.00 meters, a gross tonnage of 11,200, a service speed of 15 knots, and a range of 3,000 nautical miles. It has a maximum cargo capacity of 48 TEUs (48 standard containers) and can carry 197 passengers and 103 crew members.
The vessel boasts a crew-to-passenger ratio far superior to the industry average—approaching 1:2—enabling the delivery of refined, personalized, and exclusive service. With only 93 premium staterooms on board, 62 of which feature private balconies and most offering panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows, every room commands expansive ocean views. This design significantly enhances privacy and living comfort, perfectly aligning with the core needs of high-end travelers seeking immersive, leisurely vacation experiences.
Meanwhile, the vessel’s leisure facilities are built to five-star resort hotel standards, featuring two themed restaurants, an open-air performance stage, a seaside barbecue restaurant, two massage pools, a specialty themed bar, a boutique shopping center, multi-functional meeting spaces, a professional gym, and an SPA wellness center. These are complemented by areas dedicated to Polynesian cultural experiences, delivering comprehensive offerings across leisure, entertainment, wellness, and cultural immersion. The vessel is equipped with four passenger elevators and barrier-free access throughout, comprehensively enhancing passenger convenience and comfort. Powered by low-emission, low-noise green propulsion and ancillary equipment, the vessel effectively minimizes its impact on the marine environment during operation.
“ARANOA” is the second small-to-medium-sized luxury cruise ship built through the partnership between Huanghai Shipbuilding and the French company CPTM, following the 2015 delivery of the passenger-cargo cruise ship “Aranui 5.” Tailor-made for routes serving remote islands in French Polynesia (South Pacific), the vessel is homeported in Papeete, Tahiti, and serves the surrounding island groups, fulfilling the dual roles of supplying essential goods to the islands and providing high-end cruise tourism services.
The successful delivery of the vessel marks the establishment of Huanghai Shipbuilding’s mature, customized construction capabilities in the sector of small-to-medium-sized luxury cruise ships. The project saw the systematic implementation and refinement of a full-chain technical portfolio—spanning everything from hull form optimization and the balancing of passenger and cargo spaces to the execution of high-end interior outfitting.