As the year draws to a close, China’s shipbuilding industry has sparked another order boom in the high-end vessel market. A number of domestic shipbuilders have secured major domestic and overseas orders covering large LNG carriers, bulk carriers and special-purpose vessels, demonstrating shipowners’ trust in Chinese shipyards’ capabilities in designing, constructing and delivering large-scale high-end vessels.
Hudong-Zhonghua Signs Large LNG Carrier Order with Bonny Gas Transport (BGT)
On December 6, Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. signed a contract for three 174,000 m³ LNG carriers with Bonny Gas Transport (BGT), a shipping subsidiary of Nigeria LNG (NLNG). This order marks the first-ever cooperation between China and Africa in LNG carrier construction, representing a milestone as the “Chinese solution” for high-end natural gas transportation equipment has successfully entered Africa’s core energy market.
NLNG is one of Africa’s largest LNG exporters, with an annual LNG production capacity of over 22 million tonnes. As NLNG’s shipping arm, BGT operates Africa’s largest dedicated LNG fleet, providing LNG transportation support for NLNG. The LNG carriers under this contract are Hudong-Zhonghua’s independently developed and designed fifth-generation “Changheng Series” vessels. Equipped with a variety of low-carbon and energy-saving technologies, these ships boast advantages such as low comprehensive energy consumption, excellent cryogenic performance, strong cargo capacity and easy operation and maintenance. They can reduce carbon emissions by over 10 tonnes per sailing day and call at 120 LNG terminals across all continents, delivering outstanding global navigation capability.
CSSC Qingdao Beihai Shipyard Inks Contract with ArcelorMittal for 211,000 DWT Bulk Carriers
On December 15, CSSC Qingdao Beihai Shipyard (a subsidiary of China Merchants Heavy Industry) signed a construction contract for four 211,000 DWT bulk carriers with ArcelorMittal, the world’s second-largest steel producer, in Hong Kong. This agreement reaffirms international renowned shipowners’ recognition of Qingdao Beihai Shipyard’s technical strength and brand reputation in building high-end, large-scale bulk carriers.
The 211,000 DWT bulk carriers under this contract are mainstream large cargo vessels in international shipping. With an overall length of 299.25 meters and a breadth of 50 meters, the vessel design and configuration prioritize energy efficiency and propulsion performance. Through hull line optimization, adoption of high-efficiency power systems and installation of shaft generators and other advanced equipment, the ships deliver core advantages including excellent loading capacity, superior comprehensive performance, low energy consumption and eco-friendly emissions.
CSSC Guangzhou Shipyard International Signs Contracts with Shanghai Salvage Bureau for Two Key Vessel Types
On December 9, CSSC Guangzhou Shipyard International Co., Ltd. joined hands with the Shanghai Salvage Bureau of the Ministry of Transport to sign construction contracts for one 65,000 DWT semi-submersible transport and support vessel and one deep-sea diving support vessel in Shanghai.
The newbuilding project of Shanghai Salvage Bureau aims to enhance deep-sea salvage operation capabilities in harsh sea conditions and improve the national-level salvage and rescue equipment system, focusing on key tasks such as emergency salvage and saturation diving in complex maritime environments. The 65,000 DWT semi-submersible transport and support vessel is a three-island self-propelled semi-submersible ship equipped with shaft-propeller electric propulsion, DP-2 dynamic positioning system and rapid load adjustment function. To ensure the reliability of key structural connections, the ship adopts an التغذية والتجميع التلقائي للمشبك system during construction, which realizes precise and efficient assembly of structural buckles through automated positioning and feeding, effectively improving assembly accuracy and shortening the construction cycle. The other vessel, the deep-sea diving support vessel, features fully-rotating electric propulsion and DP-3 dynamic positioning system. It can support offshore operations such as lifting and subsea installation of large deep-water structures, saturation and air diving operations, ROV operations, as well as emergency evacuation of personnel from offshore facilities.
Hengli Heavy Industries Secures 8 Newbuilding Orders at Year-End, Precisely Expanding Global Shipping Market Layout
Recently, relying on accurate market insights and acute judgment, Hengli Heavy Industries successfully signed a batch of newbuilding contracts with both new and existing clients including Greek shipowners CAPITAL and AEGEAN BULK, and Norwegian shipowner UTHALDEN, securing 8 new vessel orders in one go. The order portfolio includes 2 LRII product tankers, 5 Kamsarmax bulk carriers and 1 180,000 DWT Cape-size bulk carrier.
The order batch includes repeat orders from long-term cooperative clients as well as first-time contracts from new customers. This not only confirms Hengli Heavy Industries’ forward-looking vision in vessel type R&D, but also reflects its mature system for batch construction of multiple vessel types covering “container, bulk, oil and gas” carriers. Leveraging its strong industrial chain advantages, Hengli Heavy Industries has achieved independent processing and construction of core components such as marine main engines, with its order backlog extending to 2029.
