The Queen Mary, one of the world's most historic ships, could be berthed at Shanghai's Chongming Island in the near future.

Shanghai has vowed to turn the island into an ecological resort, and while officials said yesterday it would be difficult to create a Phuket-style destination, the charm of the island's wetlands plus the legend of the luxurious ship, could help build it international fame as soon as 2010.

More than 150 international experts and government officials - from countries including the United States, Germany and Australia - are gathering on the island for the Chongming Eco-island Forum 2006.

"Chongming will become a tourist heaven," said Zhang Yalei, an official from the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission.

Officials said a Chongming-based company is now discussing with the operators of the Queen Mary, currently dry docked in California and operating as a hotel, to import the ship.

If contracted, the ship, which has no engines, will be towed to the city, government insiders said.

Zhang said Chongming already had a national wetland conservation zone in the east, about 300 square kilometers, and is planning to build a new wetlands park in the west, about 3 square kilometers.

The wetlands park is a tidal zone that is home to birds and shellfish.

Bars, houses and hotels are planned for construction in the surrounds of the wetlands, Zhang said.

According to Shen Junzhou, head of Chongming's Environmental Protection Bureau, Chongming will be supervised by a series of environment policies to prevent the island from being polluted.

"Many of the shuttle buses will be powered by hydrogen and cycling will be encouraged on the island," said Shen, noting that Chongming will continue to hold cycling races.

He said that by 2010 when a tunnel-and-bridge connection is built between Pudong and Chongming, vehicles that enter the island must comply with emission-level rules.

Officials will also build several sewage treatment plants to improve water quality - in a way similar to the treatment of Suzhou Creek.

Lex Brown, an environment professor from Australia's Griffith University, told Shanghai Daily one of the biggest challenges that Chongming will face will be the large number of visitors when the island becomes a resort destination.

(Shanghai Daily July 14, 2006)