On December 5, on the first day of Marintec China 2023, CSSC Huangpu Wenchong shipbuilding, together with CSTC, signed the project of 2+1 48,000 m3 LPG carriers with Benelux.
This is the first cooperation between CSSC Huangpu Wenchong shipbuilding and Benelux, marking the breakthrough in the design and construction of liquefied gas vessels in the field of medium-sized gas vessels, and another achievement of the company in practicing high-quality development.
This order is the largest gas vessel project ever undertaken in the history of South China. The vessel has an overall length of 190 meters, a beam of 32.2 meters, and a depth of 19 meters; the cargo holds of the vessel are arranged with three independent fully-cooled A-type liquid tanks, constructed of low-temperature carbon-manganese steel, with a total capacity of 48,000 m3. In addition to loading LPG, VCM and other petrochemical cargoes, the vessel also meets the requirements of loading liquid ammonia and cargo exchange transportation. The ship design can effectively save the hold capacity and greatly improve the ship’s economic performance, which is favored by the customer.
In recent years, the market for LPG carriers has been growing strongly, driven by factors such as a surge in U.S. LPG exports, strong arbitrage for propane in Asia, the startup of several new propane dehydrogenation (PDH) plants in China, and soaring exports from the Middle East.
Meanwhile, densely populated areas such as South Asia and Southeast Asia are also continuing to push up the demand for LPG as a residential fuel, it is expected that in the next 10~20 years, the demand for LPG will remain strong, and its important role as the “blood of the industry” will be difficult to replace for a short period of time. Therefore, the medium-sized gas tanker type has become a hot spot for customers in the market.
Huangpu Wenchong shipbuilding has been actively responding to the market and customer needs, continuously attacking the “technological high ground”, and giving full play to its advantages in the field of small and medium-sized gas carriers in terms of quality, technology, etc. And Huangpu-Wenchong has successively constructed and delivered a series of 1,400 TEU dual-fuel-powered container ships, 5,000m3 LPG gas carriers, 9,500m3 LNG dual-fuel-powered multi-purpose gas carriers/fillers, and a number of green and environmentally friendly high-tech, high value-added products.
This time, the contracting of medium-sized gas vessel project not only fills the historical blank of medium-sized gas vessel construction in South China, but also consolidates Huangpu-Wenchong’s technological leading position in the field of small and medium-sized high value-added ship products.
It lays a solid foundation for the company to further focus on green ship types, enhance the construction strength of high-tech and high value-added ship products, and compete with Japanese and Korean shipyards for more market share in the field of global high-end gas ship products in the future. The order products will be delivered from 2026 onwards.