Yu Jianxin, the general manager of Bohai Ferry Group (left) and Wang Jianzhong, president of CIMC Raffles (right) sign a cooperative agreement to build Asia’s largest ro-ro ship on Oct 23. [Photo/qlwb]

Yantai-based CIMC raffles signed a deal with Bohai Ferry Group in an attempt to cooperate in developing multi-function ro-ro (roll-on roll-off) vessels on Oct 23, local media reported.

According to the agreement, the vessel once built will have a total length of 189.9 meters, a width of 26.4 meters, and a weight of 26,500 tons, and will be the most widely used and largest ro-ro ship in Asia.

It will feature a long voyage capability, high safety standards, and have low transportation costs. It is expected to be delivered in the first half year of 2020.

Bohai Ferry Group is the largest passenger rolling transportation enterprise in Asia. Currently, it has 11 large passenger and cargo ro-ro ships, one international passenger container ship and one international luxury cruise ship.

The company is currently embarking on significant expansion, aiming to comprehensively integrate international and domestic passenger and cargo roller transport, and cruise tourism under one umbrella.

CIMC Raffles is a world-leading marine engineering enterprise, which has delivered more than 80 different types of marine equipment.

In recent years, to accelerate the transformation of growth drivers from old to new, the company has diversified its operations, moving away from the oil industry to also operate in the fishing and tourism industries. The ro-ro vessel cooperation agreement is an important step for it to realize further growth driver transformation.