Former AIDAvista arrives in China for drydocking and major conversion into Chinese cruise ship Blue Dream Melody

After lying alongside in lay-up in the Estonian port of Tallinn for more than two years, the former AIDA Cruises-owned AIDAvista has arrived in China under the name of Avitak. The conversion project will be carried out at the Zhoushan Cosco Shipyard in Liuheng.

The 1,270-passenger capacity vessel, built in 2002, will be renamed Blue Dream Melody and operate for her new Chinese owners Blue Dream Cruises on itineraries aimed specifically at the Chinese market from a variety of Chinese ports to destinations throughout Asia.

No timeline has been given for the completion date of the vessel’s conversion, but Blue Dream Melody is expected to start cruises prior to this summer in China.

Blue Dream Melody was acquired from Beta Marine in January this year.

Meanwhile, other vessels undergoing repair at Zhoushan Cosco Shipyard on March 19th included the following:

• Garrincha – 115m long and 727dwt 2019-built crude oil tanker, owned by Brazil’s Transpetro, Rio de Janeiro
• Zobu Start – 47,186dwt 2008-built crude oil tanker, operated by Anglo Eastern Shipmanagement (Singapore) Pte Ltd
• Atlantic Muse – 51,498dwt 2009-built chemical tanker, owned by South Korea’s Hyundai Merchants Marine, Seoul
• Fei Ma Zuo – 75,576dwt 2010-built product tanker, Chinese owners not known
• Maple Gas – 54,112dwt 2019-built LPG tanker, owned by Japan’s Iino Kaium Kaisha, Tokyo
• Syros Warrior – 107,687dwt 2009-built crude oil tanker, owned by Greece’s Polembros Shipping, Athens
• Chang Hang Xian Feng – 45,849dwt 2019-built product tanker, owned by China’s Nanjing Tankers
• Daesan Chemi – 12,705dwt 2004-built chemical tanker, owned by South Korea’s Green Marine, Pusan and managed by Dongkuk Marine, Pusan
• Evershine – 115,487dwt 2003-built crude oil tanker, owners not known

Blissful Sea – 297,395dwt 2008-built product tanker, owners not known