HANOI, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam has opened its first high-speed north-south sea route in northern Quang Ninh province, local newspaper Transport reported Friday.

    A ship named Hoa Sen with capacity of 1,000 passengers and 500 automobiles running on the route, operated by local firm Vinashinlines, is expected to arrive in southern Ho Chi Minh City after 48 hours of departing from Quang Ninh on Thursday.

    The highest fare for a cruise reaches three million Vietnamese dong (187.5 million U.S. dollars).

    Vietnam's sea transport industry served nearly 2.7 million domestic and foreign passengers and over 34.7 million tons of cargoes in the first 11 months this year, registering respective year-on-year rises of 5.8 percent and six percent, according to the country's General Statistics Office.