On March 20, the construction of the first 7,999 DWT methanol bunkering vessel, N1248, officially commenced at COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (Guangdong), marking a solid step forward in the shipyard’s transformation and upgrading of its shipbuilding business.
With an overall length of 114.9 meters and a beam of 19 meters, this 7999DWT methanol bunkering vessel is classified by ClassNK. The vessel is equipped with twin engines and twin propellers, featuring a bow thruster, bulbous bow, and vertical stern, with a continuous freeboard deck. The cargo tanks are designed with a double-hull structure, offering a total capacity of approximately 9,000 cubic meters and a designed cargo-carrying capacity of 7,999 deadweight tons (DWT). The cargo tanks are coated with specialized materials, making them suitable for transporting diesel, gasoline, biodiesel, methanol, and other similar products. Additionally, the vessel is outfitted with a nitrogen system and a high-speed venting system, effectively preventing and mitigating the risk of chemical leaks that could pose severe threats to the environment and human safety.
COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (Guangdong) said that the start of construction of this series of vessels is an important step for the company to focus on the “two new tracks” of green and low-carbon and digital intelligence and move towards the goal of “building an advanced industrial demonstration base for small and medium-sized shipbuilding with strong core competitiveness.”
COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (Guangdong) covers an area of 710,000 square meters, with one 150,000-ton floating dock, two 80,000-ton docks, four slipways, seven deep-water docks, and a total coastline of more than 2,000 meters.
In November last year, the company organized a special meeting on the implementation phase of the shipbuilding restart work plan, requiring all personnel in the manufacturing system to unify their thinking and implement all work related to restarting shipbuilding with a high sense of responsibility and mission.
It is understood that COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (Guangdong) will be committed to undertaking small and medium-sized oil tankers and offshore support vessels, building its shipbuilding business segment into a brand of high-quality products for these two popular ship types.
After deciding to restart its shipbuilding business, COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (Guangdong) has secured several new vessel contracts, including: 2+2 50,000 DWT MR product tankers for Greek shipowner Monte Nero Maritime; 4 7,999 DWT methanol bunkering vessels for Singapore-based shipowner Consort Bunkers; 2 20,000 DWT transshipment barges and 2 53.4-meter offshore tugboats.
In addition to shipbuilding, COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (Guangdong) has long been a leader in ship repair capabilities in China, making it the preferred ship repair base for major shipping companies in the southern region of China. Its repair and conversion services cover a wide range of vessels, including LNG carriers, FSOs (Floating Storage and Offloading units), coal transshipment vessels, semi-submersible ships, large container ships, cement carriers, and various mainstream vessel types.