On March 19, the 174,000 m³ Green Energy Wind, a large liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier independently designed and built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co., Ltd., was successfully christened. This vessel is the fifth “Green Energy” series LNG carrier built by Hudong-Zhonghua, further expanding CNOOC’s “Green Energy” fleet and adding a new flagship to China’s high-quality, distinctive LNG carrier fleet.
The “Green Energy Wind” is the fifth of six sister vessels in China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC)’s LNG carrier project. Classed by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and the China Classification Society (CCS), the vessel has an overall length of 299 meters, a beam of 46.4 meters, and a draft of 26.25 meters.
As the fifth-generation “Changheng Series” LNG carrier independently developed by Hudong-Zhonghua, this vessel incorporates multiple low-carbon and energy-saving technologies. It is equipped with a new-generation dual-fuel main engine featuring an Intelligent Exhaust Gas Recirculation (iCER) system, which reduces methane slip by approximately 50% during gas mode operation, effectively lowering greenhouse gas emissions and meeting Tier III NOx emission standards.
By applying the NO96 Super+ cargo hold insulation system, the cargo evaporation rate is reduced by 15% compared to the previous-generation L03+ system. Additionally, the vessel is equipped with an AIR LIQUID cryogenic unit with a processing capacity of 2.2 t/h, meeting the International Maritime Organization’s most stringent emission standards. It features low overall energy consumption, high cryogenic performance, and strong cargo-carrying capacity, with its technical performance, environmental indicators, and reliability all reaching world-class levels.
The successful naming of the “Green Energy Wind” holds significant importance for enhancing China’s self-reliance in LNG transportation, as well as strengthening its bargaining power over resources and its influence in the international LNG market.
As a global leader in both large LNG carriers and ultra-large container ships, Hudong-Zhonghua has driven a significant increase in China’s global market share for LNG carriers, securing the most substantial orders under QatarEnergy’s historic LNG fleet expansion project and holding a backlog of nearly 60 LNG carriers. Leveraging its strengths in proprietary technology, scale leadership, lean construction, and industrial synergy, the company continues to lead the global market in green shipping equipment construction. It has pioneered a new era of large-scale, routine, standardized, and rhythmic construction of large LNG carriers, driving the high-quality development of China’s high-end shipbuilding industry.