On June 18, China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation’s Jiangnan Shipyard and Shanghai international port (Group) formally signed a contract for a 20,000 cubic meter liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering vessel.
With its deep roots in shipbuilding, Jiangnan Shipyard keeps pushing forward with tech innovation, focusing on cutting-edge areas like green vessels, smart shipbuilding, and new materials.
The world-leading LNG bunkering vessel built by Jiangnan Shipyard this time was designed by Shanghai Ship Research and Design Institute (SDARI), integrating various advanced LNG bunkering technologies from around the world. While ensuring safety, efficiency and environmental protection, the vessel can adapt to the operational needs of major ports around the world, demonstrating the hard-core strength of China’s high-end equipment manufacturing.
This type of vessel has the following characteristics:
Environmentally friendly: Using LNG vapor as fuel and equipped with a variable frequency energy-saving system, its greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by approximately 25%, NOx emissions meet Tier III requirements, and SOx and PM pollutant emissions are close to zero.
Flexibility: Equipped with a full-rotation electric propulsion system, including two full-rotation thrusters and one high-power bow thruster, the bunkering vessel can perform functions such as autonomous berthing and unberthing, on-site rotation, and lateral translation, significantly enhancing the flexibility of port operations and bunkering operations.
Efficiency: Through the flexible combination of the gas system, liquid tank pressure storage, GCU and reliquefaction device, safe and effective management of LNG boil-off gas is achieved to ensure smooth and efficient bunkering operations; and HD compressors are configured to greatly improve the bunkering ship’s return air capacity and warm-up operation capabilities.
Efficiency: The vessel achieves safe and effective management of LNG boil-off gas through a flexible combination of four means: fuel gas system, liquid tank pressure accumulation, GCU and reliquefaction device, ensuring smooth and efficient bunkering operations; and is equipped with HD compressors to greatly improve the bunkering vessel’s return air capacity and warm-tank operation capabilities.
Intelligence: Equipped with the latest intelligence system onboard, it can realize functions such as crew safety management, equipment health management, intelligent cargo management and shore-based management, and meet the requirements of the “Ship Intelligent Monitoring System Technical Guide 1.0” recently issued by the China Maritime Safety Administration.
Comfort: Meets CCS VIB1 vibration requirements, equipped with an onboard satellite TV reception system and 4G/5G mobile phone signal amplification system to enhance crew comfort.
As China’s largest port company, Shanghai International Port Group owns the world’s largest comprehensive port in terms of container throughput. While maintaining the sustainable and healthy development of the container industry, it is accelerating the construction of a smart, green, technological and efficient port led by science and technology. This new LNG bunkering vessel project will help Shanghai International Port Group improve the port’s supporting service functions, enhance the service level of the international shipping center, and consolidate its leading position in the world’s ports. It will further promote the Yangtze River Delta port group to become a world-leading clean energy shipping hub, and provide important support for the country to build a “clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient” modern energy system.