China’s Shanghai Wan Bang Cruise has ended a six-year quest to find a buyer for its only cruiseship, selling it for recycling in India.

The 7,700-gt cruiseship Jia Ri (built 1986) arrived off Alang at the end of last week.

The demise of the Jia Ri marks the end of China’s first dedicated cruise operator.

Shanghai Wan Bang had given the ship an extensive makeover from a coastal passenger cargoship in 1999, making it China’s first domestically built cruiseship.