Work on biggest ever liner begins

Work to build the world's biggest ever cruise liner has started with the first giant keel section being put in place.

Construction of the 220,000 tonne ship, with the working title of Project Genesis, started at the Aker Yards shipyard in Turku, Finland, when the 60 tonne, 154 feet wide section was lowered into the dry dock.

Stood on its stern, the 1,180 foot long liner - able to carry 5,400 passengers - would dwarf Britain's tallest building, the 800ft One Canada Square in Canary Wharf.

Owners of the project, Royal Caribbean International, already has the world's three biggest cruise liners at 160,000 tonnes.

When finished, Project Genesis will be longer than four football pitches. It will be 40% bigger than the existing biggest liners and cost £700 million to build.

Royal Caribbean is being secretive about facilities onboard but their other liners have a surf simulator generating waves at 20 mph, rock climbing wall, ice skating rink and children's water park, as well as the more traditional casino and spas.

The ship is 154 feet wide, and 240 feet high and is expected to float on water for the first time in winter 2008 as it nears the finishing stages.

The mega-liner is the latest development in the highly competitive and expanding cruise market. Major cruise companies like Royal Caribbean and Cunard are expanding their fleets to meet demand both in Britain and the United States.

Figures from the Passenger Shipping Association project that 1.55 million Britons are expected to take a cruise holiday in 2008 - up from 1.35 million this year.

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