Passengers queue up to receive inspection before boarding a ship to leave Pingtan Island, southeast China's Fujian Province, for Taichung City, southeast China's Taiwan, Nov. 30, 2011. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

A ceremony is held to celebrate the first voyage of a passenger ship from Pingtan Island, southeast China's Fujian Province, to Taichung City, southeast China's Taiwan, Nov. 30, 2011. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

Passengers show their tickets before boarding a ship to leave Pingtan Island, southeast China's Fujian Province, for Taichung City, southeast China's Taiwan, Nov. 30, 2011. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

Passengers board a ship to leave Pingtan Island, southeast China's Fujian Province, for Taichung City, southeast China's Taiwan, Nov. 30, 2011.(Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

A passenger ship leaves Pingtan Island, southeast China's Fujian Province, for Taichung City, southeast China's Taiwan, Nov. 30, 2011.(Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

Guo Xing (R) and Chen Guiping, a couple, show their tickets and passes before boarding a ship to leave Pingtan Island, southeast China's Fujian Province, for Taichung City, southeast China's Taiwan, Nov. 30, 2011. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

Fujian's Pingtan comprehensive experiment zone and Taiwan's Taichung on Wednesday saw the first voyage of the high-speed passenger ship, which carried 507 people on board.

The four-storey ship, with capacity of carrying 760 passengers and 260 cars, is expected to offer conveniency for personnel exchanges and help boost the tourism development across the Taiwan Strait.

Pingtan Island, the fifth largest island in China, is the one closest to Taiwan.