On December 25th, the main hull of the 25,000 m³ class trailing suction hopper dredger, built by Shanghai Zhenhua Port Machinery (ZPMC) for CCCC Shanghai Dredging, was successfully joined at Zhenhua Offshore Engineering.
This vessel is a key scientific and technological research project of CCCC during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. It is China’s first self-propelled trailing suction hopper dredger equipped with a distributed in-hopper dredge pump arrangement. Following the Tongjun and Junguang vessels, it stands as another “national treasure” in China’s dredging fleet. The project was managed by the CCCC Dredging Technology Research Center, designed by Marine Design and Research Institute of China (MARIC), and constructed by ZPMC.
The vessel measures 180 meters in overall length, 36 meters in beam, and 17.2 meters in draft. It boasts a maximum dredging depth of 120 meters and a maximum mud hopper capacity of 27,580 cubic meters, featuring a twin-engine, twin-propeller, twin-dredge design. Equipped with China’s independently developed next-generation intelligent monitoring platform, it integrates “one-button dredging” and “dredging-steering integration” systems, enabling unmanned dredging operations under typical working conditions. In terms of green and low-carbon performance, its “one-tug-two-dredgers” power control center optimizes energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions by over 20% compared to traditional vessels; the distributed in-hull mud pump system technology improves dredging efficiency by 30%, making it an important component of China’s “green matrix” of dredging equipment.
Upon completion, the vessel will be deployed for deep-sea sand extraction, coastal deep-water dredging, reclamation, and shoreline maintenance projects. Together with the Tongjun and Junguang vessels, it will form a globally leading fleet of ultra-large cutter suction dredgers, providing robust support for the Belt and Road Initiative and China’s strategy to become a maritime power. This will enhance China’s competitiveness in the international high-end dredging sector.
Next, ZPMC will focus on equipment installation and system commissioning, concentrating resources to tackle key technical challenges. This will ensure the vessel is delivered on schedule, creating a premium project with industry-leading overall performance and comprehensive energy efficiency. This effort will inject new momentum into the high-quality development of China’s high-end shipbuilding and offshore engineering industry.