Apoise, one of the world's largest luxury motor yachts, slipped into Shanghai on Sunday, the second of the world's luxury vessels to visit after the stopover of Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen's Octopus, late in March.

Immigration police with the Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal, north of the Bund by the Huangpu River, said the motor yacht came into the port "quietly."

"The owner was keeping the arrival very low-key," said Lu Jun, an officer from the immigration police with the port.

The yacht's Canadian owner flew into the city and boarded the ship yesterday, the police said.

Built in 2006 in Germany and registered in Cayman Islands, the 59-meter-long, 12.8-meters-wide ship can make 16 knots and has six decks, four spacious guest cabins, a vast owner's cabin and a very large jacuzzi.

The ship, carrying 18 crew members with its owner, is scheduled to leave for Hong Kong on Saturday.

The luxury liner Amsterdam carrying 1,380 tourists and 650 crew is moored at Waigaoqiao Port in Pudong near the mouth of the Yangtze River.

(Shanghai Daily October 16, 2007)