Wuchang Shipbuilding News

Schottel supplied main and auxiliary propulsion units for China’s first ice-breaking beacon vessel. Haixun 156, which will perform a wide range of tasks, has recently been launched by the contracted shipyard Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group, Hubei Province, China. It was ordered by the Tianjin Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) and is scheduled to enter operation in September 2021.The main propulsion of the beacon vessel includes of a pair of diesel-driven Schottel EcoPellers type SRE 460 (1,800 kW each) featuring a four-bladed 2.4 m-diameter propeller.

Newbuild MarketUnsurprisingly, across the offshore sectors, newbuild orders have been scarce to none. Oversupply is still a major problem for the industry and due to slippage, ordering vessels now would be counterproductive. Why order brand new vessels from a yard and wait several years for these to be delivered, when you can purchase readily available cheap tonnage direct from the yards ready to go?Source: Vessels ValueSale and purchaseIt has been a bumper year for sale and purchase activity within the OSV and OCV sectors…

Wärtsilä announced on Monday it has won a contract to supply 40 generating sets for 12 new liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueled platform supply vessels (PSV), the first such vessels to be built for a Chinese owner. The vessels are being built for China Oilfield Services Co Ltd (COSL) at the Wuchang Shipbuilding Heavy Industry yard and the Liaonan Shipyard in China. “Efficiency and environmental sustainability are key pillars of Wärtsilä’s approach to creating customer value. The choice of the Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fueled engine for this major project reflects these values…

Shandong-based Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Heavy Industry Co, a subsidiary of Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group Co, delivered a very large ore carrier (VLOC) to Brazilian miner Vale SA, said Chinese state media. China Daily said that the ship, named Ore Tianjin, has 400,000 metric tons' carrying capacity and is the first VLOC the group has made for Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Leasing. Aiming to reduce the shipping cost by increasing capacity and enhance the operator's global competitive edge, the ship has a loading capacity equivalent to 6,666 regular freight train cabins, it said. The vessel uses 20 percent less fuel than first-generation VLOCs, slashes transport costs for iron ore by 30 percent and can be loaded much quicker than its predecessors.

Dubai-listed Gulf Navigation Holding has announced a partnership with Polimar Turkish Holding to grow its fleet and increase its global reach. Under the agreement, Gulf Navigation said it would be able to serve customers in major trading ports worldwide. The Gulf Navigation fleet is expected to grow from four service boats to 10 crews, tugs and offshore support vessels with a value of US$3 million per vessel as part of the deal. The revenue from the partnership is expected to be about $27m a year, according to Gulf Navigation. The expected revenue from the partnership will be around $27m and the joint venture will be headquartered in Dubai from this month, according to the company’s release.

Gulf Navigation Holding (GNH) announces the initiation of studies for large expansion of its operations in the northern region of the United Arab Emirates consisting of a set of comprehensive maritime activities, (the GNH Northern Project), including ship building, ship repair and offshore platforms, equipment and services, logistics, marine specialized operations and global mobile ship repair and services including a float and during voyage. The eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates is considered one of the most important trade route in the world and berthing areas and it is the world’s second leader in the supply and ship refueling/ bunkering, per studies at least over 200 work boats are employed for offshore support and supply in the eastern coast.

Two new Wärtsilä designed Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) vessels were delivered from the Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group yard in China during the second week of September. The ships have been built for China Oilfield Services Ltd (COSL), the largest fleet owner of offshore service vessels in China. The delivery of these two ships follows the success of the Wärtsilä designs for four AHTS and two Platform Supply Vessels (PSV) delivered in 2015 to the same customer, and which are now in regular operation. The contract for the original six ship designs was placed in December 2012, and another for three new AHTS vessel designs in December 2014.

The first shipment of a ‘core kit’ for Russia’s Yamal LNG project has set sail for northern Russia from the Chinese port of Qingdao. China's first batch of two air cooled condensing modules of LNG project are the biggest and heaviest kits being used for the project. They are set to arrive at the construction site in late June, says China Central Television. Yamal is a liquefied natural gas project located deep in the Russian Arctic. It is expected to start operating next year. 85 percent of the liquefied natural gas will be transported to the Asia Pacific market. It is China's first export of LNG core modules, indicating that China has entered into the international high-end oil and gas equipment market.

Power and automation technology group ABB will provide the technology that will help three vessels safely carry out construction and maintenance tasks up to 5 kilometers under water. The vessels will be equipped with ABB’s OCTOPUS software that uses sensors and the Internet of Things, Services and People (IoTSP) to interpret weather conditions, allowing the crew to make informed decisions during sensitive operations. The ships will be built for Ultra Deep Solutions at CSIC Huangpu Wuchang Shipbuilding Company Limited and China Merchants Heavy Industry. The largest vessel’s apparatus will include two remotely operated underwater vessels (ROVs), that will dive up to 3,000 meters, and a 400 ton crane that can drop 5,200 meters. It will measure 142 meters in length.

Marin Teknikk has entered into a contract with Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group for delivery of Design & Engineering of two Diving & Construction vessels for Ultra Deep Offshore Ltd. in Singapore. The vessels are a newly developed MT6023 DSCV design, and will be equipped with an 18 men diving system for operations down to 300 m water depth. MT6023 DSCV is an advanced Diving- and Construction vessel developed for demanding operations worldwide. The vessel will have a length of 103 meters and a breadth of 23 meters, top class accommodation for 120 persons plus 18 divers, two heave compensated subsea cranes, one 150 ton offshore crane with depth capability to 3000 m water depth, and one 20 ton offshore crane for operation down to 300 m water depth.

China is offering to build submarines for Egypt that are cheaper than vessels on offer from Germany, sources told Reuters, as Beijing looks to enhance weapons exports over a normal patron bottom in Asia. According to sources, Beijing has sought to undercut Western submarine makers on price and by offering attractive export-credit terms for sales in Asia. It has won deals with Pakistan and Bangladesh so far. China displaced Germany as the world’s third-largest arms exporter,   though nearly 70 percent of those weapons went to Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, says the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute in March. An Egyptian military source confirmed that China had offered to sell submarines to Cairo. “We are studying it, but it is not an easy decision,” the source said.

The ‘FORAN new modules, new functions and FEM-Link (Hypermesh) Seminar’ was held on April 23rd in Wuhan. SENER is playing a big role in China, where it has been promoting the FORAN System for many years.Through the seminar, important new enhancements in its shipbuilding CAD/CAM System FORAN, SENER (Shanghai) hopes to bolster confidence of existing customers and arouse more interest among the potential customers for FORAN system. Xinlin Zhou presented the FORAN FGA/FBASIC modules, functions and hull capabilities of new release V70R3.0. The paper introduced general arrangement drawings using FGA modules and naval architecture calculations using FBASIC module.

Shanghai Shipyard has won bids to build two multipurpose survey vessels for two geological survey institutes. The shipyard is an affiliate of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC).   Qingdao Marine Geological Survey Institute and Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey Institute have each ordered one geological survey vessel at the yard.    Financial details and the delivery dates of the newbuildings were not disclosed.   CSSC said the bids were won after fierce competitions with more than 10 shipyards competing including Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry and Cosco Shipyard.

On Friday 6 February 2015, Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd., China, held a steel cutting ceremony for the first of four platform supply vessels of ULSTEIN’s PX121 design being built for Otto Offshore Limited. The shipbuilding contracts at Wuchang were announced in August 2014. Ulstein Design & Solutions is contracted on the delivery of ship design & equipment to four PX121 type platform supply vessels. The contract includes the deliveries of design, engineering and main equipment. An extensive delivery from Ulstein Power & Control includes integrated control systems, bridge (radio, navigation), switchboard, diesel electric propulsion and frequency converters, and communication systems.

Offshore construction vessel order is the first to include ABB’s integrated power and automation solution consisting of ABB’s advanced power, propulsion and 800xA control and safety system. ABB will deliver a cutting-edge solution which includes electrical propulsion, power, safety and automation systems. These systems will be integrated and run on a single control system platform for a 5000T heavy-lift pipelay construction vessel. By integrating power and automation on the vessel, overall efficiency, safety and reliability will be increased.

Ulstein Design & Solutions has entered into a contract with Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd, China, for the delivery of ship design and equipment for four PX121 type platform supply vessels. The shipowner is the Singapore based Otto Offshore Ltd., who will receive all vessels in 2016. The contract also includes an option for four additional vessels. These PX121 vessels are capable of supporting offshore activities which are being carried out further from shore and in deeper waters. The vessels can carry flexible loads.

China launches its largest & most advanced patrol vessel 'Haixun 01' in Wuhan, Hubei province. Haixun 01 is the first Chinese patrol vessel to simultaneously incorporate marine inspection and rescue functions. It will carry out missions regarding maritime inspection, safety monitoring, rescue, oil spill detection and handling, said Xu Guoyi, head of the Shanghai Maritime Bureau, which will manage the ship, which is expected to come into service in late 2012. The Haixun 01 is 128.6 meters in length with a design speed of 37 km per hour and  a maximum sailing distance of 10…

China’s largest submersible-support vessel delivered to Shanghai Salvage by Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry shipyard. China’s largest submersible-support vessel has been delivered and put into service in Qingdao, Shandong province, marking a breakthrough in the development of the country’s deep-water salvage force. Shenqianhao, China's first ship that carries a saturation diving system allowing divers to work at depths of up to 300 meters, is the nation’s most advanced submersible-support vessel…

MacGregor has secured an order from Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry for a 100-metric-ton SWL active heave-compensated subsea crane. The MacGregor crane will be installed on the anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessel, currently under construction for the offshore specialist, China Oilfield Services Limited (COSL). Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry, a subsidiary of one of China's largest shipbuilders, China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC), plans to deliver the Rolls-Royce UT788-design vessel in March 2015. Once operational, the vessel will perform offshore services in the South China Sea. It will also have the capability to carry out deepwater and ultra-deepwater work in other offshore areas such as Brazil, West Africa, the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea.

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, informs it has won an order for two  subsea cranes from South Korean shipyard Hyundai Heavy Industries and another for one from China’s Wuchang Shipbuilding. The active heave-compensated cranes will have an SWL of 100-tonnes and 25-tonnes respectively. They will be fitted on board a new 160m heavy construction vessel (hull 2654) being built at the yard for global offshore specialist, Subsea 7. The MacGregor subsea cranes will support the vessel's year…

China's State Oceanic Administration has placed 8 orders with Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Co., & altogether 36 are to be built within two years. As the global shipbuilding industry endures one of its toughest spells in years, at least eight new orders for maritime surveillance ships have been secured by Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Co Ltd, a subsidiary of China Shipbuilding Industry Corp. The progress echoed an earlier statement from Liu Cigui, head of the State Oceanic Administration, which said that 36 patrol vessels are being built and will be put into operation within the next two years by China Marine Surveillance, the bureau's maritime law enforcement agency.