On March 13, Chinese shipbuilder Chongqing Zhongjiang Shipbuilding kicked off the construction of Chongqing’s first 130-meter LNG river-sea direct vessel.
The vessel has an overall length of 130 meters, a beam of 16.20 meters, a depth of 8.85 meters, a design draught (inland waterway class A) of 6.80 meters, (specific routes) of 6.35 meters, a deadweight of more than 10,000 tons, and is expected to be launched in the second half of the year.
It is the first vessel independently developed and built by Chongqing to fit the Three Gorges locks, and also the first new energy vessel using LNG as a single fuel, which reduces carbon emissions by 20% compared with traditional diesel-powered vessels.
As a river-sea direct vessel sailing on the specific route from Chongqing to Ningbo/Zhoushan, the vessel will mainly transport metal ores, bauxite, industrial salt, paper raw materials, coal, bagged grain, Mine building materials, as well as clinker, textiles, steel and other bulk cargoes. It can also load 192 20-foot standard containers in the cargo hold.
The project carries the mission of implementing the strategic connection between the “Changjiang River Economic Belt” and the “New Western Land-Sea Corridor”. By building a three-dimensional logistics system of “Golden Waterway + River-Sea Transport”, it will help the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin Cities Economic Circle integrate into the domestic and international dual Circle, promote the construction of inland open comprehensive hubs, and enhance the scale and level of Chongqing’s comprehensive hub.