A cruise ship named “Eastern Princess” caught fire near the Haihe River on the south side of the Shanghai Road and Xinhua Road interchange in the Binhai New Area of Tianjin, sending up thick black smoke. Fortunately, there were no casualties. The cause of the fire is still unknown.
On the afternoon of November 18, a netizen posted a video showing the cruise ship “Eastern Princess” on fire at the Haihe River Bund Park in the Binhai New Area of Tianjin, drawing attention. The video showed thick smoke billowing from the cruise ship bearing the name “Eastern Princess” moored at the shore.
According to Nine News, at 2:07 p.m. on November 18, a cruise ship caught fire at the Haihe River on the south side of the Shanghai Road and Xinhua Road interchange in the Binhai New Area of Tianjin.
Harbin Daily’s official Pangbei News reported that a witness said that around 2 p.m. on the 18th, he saw the cruise ship on fire and emitting thick smoke while passing by the scene in his car.
Officials from the Tianjin Binhai New Area Tourism Bureau stated that the cruise ship is under the jurisdiction of the maritime department.
Around 4 p.m. on the 18th, a person in charge of Shuntian Zhai (Beijing) Cultural Development Co., Ltd. mentioned that the cruise ship was undergoing renovations on the morning of the 18th, which led to the fire. Preliminary understanding suggests that sparks from the renovation may have ignited the insulation material, causing the fire. The initial assessment indicated the point of origin was on the stern deck of the ship. The person in charge stated, “There was no operation on the cruise ship at that time. Our company rented the cruise ship with the plan to refurbish it and begin operations.” By around 3 p.m. on the 18th, the fire had been extinguished.
Public information indicates that the Eastern Princess was built in 1967 and was once the most luxurious gambling ship in Southeast Asia. It featured facilities such as tourist sightseeing, cafes, sea-view rooms, etc., some of which were directly reflected in films.
The Eastern Princess has a length of 150.28 meters, a width of 21 meters, a displacement of 10,298 tons, eight decks, and can accommodate 350 passengers and 150 crew members. Onboard facilities include rooms, restaurants, cinemas, karaoke, game rooms, sauna rooms, swimming pools, bowling alleys, meeting rooms, etc.
Since its launch, the ship has changed owners and names several times before settling in the Binhai New Area of Tianjin. Tianjin Tianrun East Business Management Co., Ltd. is fully responsible for investment management, operation promotion, business cooperation, etc., with Shuntian Zhai (Beijing) Cultural Development Co., Ltd. being the controlling shareholder of the company.
After refurbishment, the Eastern Princess has a total of six decks, combining sightseeing, dining, entertainment, leisure, and performing arts, with a tour area of over 8,000 square meters and more than forty guest rooms for visitors.
According to information released by the Tianjin Eastern Princess Cruise, the Eastern Princess is also a well-known “film and television base” where movies starring actors like Chow Yun-fat, Andy Lau, and Stephen Chow, including “God of Gamblers” and “God of Gamblers III,” were filmed.