Named Morning Miracle, the ship was independently developed and built by Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd. based in this open coastal city in east China's Fujian Province, according to company officials.

It is the first of the six roll-on-roll-off vessels for motor vehicles the British firm ordered from the Xiamen company.

The 182.8-meter-long Morning Miracle is able to accomodate 4,900 cars and it can also load many other types of vehicles, including trucks and dump carriers, the company officials said.

According to Chen Jinhai, deputy chief engineer of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), delivery of the vessel signaled the local shipyard had met the world criteria.

"There are only five or six shipyards in the world that are capable of building such kind of ships," said Chen. Enditem