On August 10th, Qidong Xiangyu Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering kicked off the construction of a 16,000-ton submarine cable laying vessel. The start of construction for this vessel with an overall length of 139.8 meters and a single-voyage cable-carrying capacity that sets a new domestic record, marks that Qidong Xiangyu Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering has stepped onto a new stage in its offshore engineering construction capabilities.
Looking back to March 2024, the plot of Jiangsu Hongqiang Marine Heavy Industry at that time, despite boasting high-quality resources such as 3 slipways with a capacity of 50,000 to 100,000 tons and a 682.3-meter-long coastline along the Yangtze River, had become a “dormant asset” by the Yangtze River due to the accumulation of historical issues.
To revitalize this long-idle 700-mu land, Qidong Offshore Engineering Park developed a tailored and detailed plan. After six months of continuous effort, they successfully resolved historical issues, including asset ownership, and completed relevant procedures. In August 2024, Qidong Xiangyu Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering secured this core asset for 440 million yuan and immediately commenced renovations. Work and production fully resumed in mid-to-late October.
Qidong Xiangyu Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering carried out the following transformations: replacing inefficient equipment, introducing over 600 sets of intelligent production equipment such as cranes, laser cutting machines, and environmental protection facilities, and upgrading the existing slipways and docks. Meanwhile, the transformation of physical isolation between the living and office areas and the production area, as well as the construction of supporting facilities such as dormitory substations, were advanced simultaneously. Within 10 months, Qidong Xiangyu Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering completed all technological transformation projects, laying a solid foundation for production.
Entering the facility, the once idle workshops have taken on a new look, with intelligent equipment operating efficiently everywhere. In the workshop, laser cutting machines are processing hull components with millimeter-level precision. High-end ship orders are continuously flowing into this newly revived facility — at present, Qidong Xiangyu Marine Equipment has a orderbook for 16 ships, which are scheduled until 2028, while the orders of its parent company, Nantong Xiangyu Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co., Ltd. (Nantong Xiangyu SOE), are even scheduled until 2029.
By leveraging existing resources, Qidong Xiangyu Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering has also avoided the approval and construction period for a new facility, enabling it to better capitalize on the opportunities presented by the shipbuilding industry’s new boom. “Acquiring and renovating a facility saves significant time compared to building from scratch, allowing us to release production capacity earlier and seize market share,” the company stated. The company plans to deploy intelligent production lines to ensure even higher efficiency and quality.