On August 20, Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry under China State Shipbuilding Corporation successfully delivered the first 18,500 DWT product/chemical tanker built for Greece’s Athenian Sea Carriers, marking an important milestone in the construction of this series of vessels.
With a total length of 149.8 meters and a beam of 22.8 meters, this vessel has a range of 10,000 nautical miles and a speed of 13 knots. The vessel is a Category II & Category III product oil/chemical tanker with unlimited navigation area, mainly used for the transportation of product oil and chemicals. Compared with similar vessels, its performance parameters have lower fuel consumption, higher speed and larger load.
Meanwhile, the cargo pumps of this series of vessels adopt variable-frequency electric pumps, featuring more flexible cargo loading and unloading as well as better economy. They are also feature LNG ready, methanol ready and ICE1C notations, and adopt the latest 6.6KV high-voltage shore power system and unmanned engine room. These vessels are high-end new-generation chemical tankers integrating leading technologies, green environmental protection and other characteristics.
It is understood that there are a total of 10 vessels in this series, and 9 of them are currently under construction. The production progress of the subsequent vessels is generally under control, and all work is proceeding in an orderly manner. Among them, vessel No. 2 has entered the sea trial stage, vessel No. 3 is undergoing mooring trials, and the production of the remaining subsequent vessels is also progressing steadily. At present, the entire project is strictly following the rhythmic production plan, and the overall progress is going smoothly.
The successful delivery of this vessel further consolidates Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry’s position in the small and medium-sized oil and chemical tanker market and demonstrates the growing influence and competitiveness of Chinese manufacturing in the global shipbuilding industry. Going forward, the shipbuilder will continue to deepen its collaboration with international partners, promoting the development and construction of more high-end vessels and contributing to the green and low-carbon transformation of global shipping.