On April 22, Jiangnan Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), officially christened and delivered GAS CHANGJIANG, the first unit in 99,000m3 very large ethane dual-fuel carrier (VLEC)series, which was built for Wanhua Chemical Group Co.,Ltd.
Designed and developed independently by Jiangnan Shipbuilding, this VLEC features the largest capacity in the world, and its core cryogenic cargo containment system is a self-developed BrillianceE® cabin.
Classed by American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), the VLEC has an overall length of 230 meters, a beam of 36.6 meters and a depth of 22.5 meters. It is suitable for transporting various liquefied gases such as ethane, ethylene and LPG, and has the advantages of low oil (gas) consumption, small boil off rate (BOR), and low maintenance cost. This VLEC has remarkable economic and social benefits and is characterized by “leading design, advanced technology, green environmental protection, high efficiency and energy saving, comfortable environment and intelligent management”.
It is worth mentioning that this 99,000m3 VLEC has won the highest award in the shipbuilding industry – the Grand Prize of Science and Technology.
As previously reported, Wanhua Chemical Group ordered three 99,000 m3 VLECs from Jiangnan Shipbuilding in 2022. The series of VLECs is expected to be delivered in 2024 with a unit cost of US$128 million. In November 2023, Wanhua Chemical Group has returned to Jiangnan Shipbuilding to place an additional order for another three VLECs, bringing its order book for VLECs in the shipyard to six. This delivery is the first of six VLECs in the series.
It is understood that VLEC is the advantageous ship type of Jiangnan Shipbuilding. So far, Jiangnan Shipbuilding handheld orders for 32 VLECs, accounting for 80.2% of the global market share by capacity, marking that VLECs designed in China, built in China and adopting China’s core technology have reached the world’s leading level.