On January 28, CSSC Jiangnan Shipyard held a completion ceremony for the 100th Type B tank at its insulation installation site on Platform 10. From the completion of the first Type B tank on May 12, 2021, to the completion of the 100th tank today, this milestone witnesses Jiangnan Shipyard’s leapfrog development and remarkable achievements in Type B tank containment systems and very large ethane carriers (VLEC), and further breaks the foreign monopoly in cryogenic containment systems.
In 2014, Jiangnan Shipyard officially launched the independent research and development of the Type B containment system, with technological research and engineering transformation proceeding in parallel, and key milestones being achieved in an orderly manner;
In 2019, Jiangnan Shipyard completed the construction of a Type B mock-up tank, which systemically verified the feasibility of core technologies such as structural design, material processes and cryogenic insulation;
In 2020, the first Type B cargo tank for actual ship use officially began construction, marking the transition of this technology from the experimental verification stage to the engineering application stage;
In 2025, the PnFCOMBi insulation system, entirely developed by Jiangnan Shipyard, was successfully implemented in a real cargo tank for the first time, further improving the complete technological system for Type B cargo tanks.
Since the start of construction on the first Type B cargo tank in June 2020, Jiangnan Shipyard has consistently focused on innovation in processes and methods, continuously optimizing production processes and management procedures, and steadily advancing the application of automated welding equipment, resulting in continuous improvements in construction efficiency.
The successful delivery of the 100th Type B cargo tank not only marks the transition of China’s indigenous Type B tank technology system from engineering validation to stable mass production, but also serves as the starting point for next-generation technological development.
Today, Jiangnan Shipyard continues to expand the application of Type B tank containment systems across various vessel types. It is determined to break the long-standing technological monopoly in LNG containment systems, fully committed to advancing the construction of large LNG carriers equipped with entirely domestically developed Type B tanks. This effort aims to achieve a critical leap from technological catch-up to leadership, driving a historic transformation in China’s high-end shipbuilding core equipment—from keeping pace to taking the lead.