On September 16, Guangzhou Shipyard International, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), successfully cut steel for a semi-submersible heavy transport vessel (HTV) ordered by Swiss offshore contractor Allseas. The new vessel has been named “Grand Tour” and is expected to be delivered in the first quarter of 2028.
This semi-submersible vessel is the world’s first to be equipped with a methanol fuel interface (methanol-ready) and is also the first semi-submersible vessel for which Guangzhou Shipyard International has independently completed the detailed design.
The vessel has an overall length of 230 meters, a beam of 57 meters, and a draft of 14.8 meters. It features a cargo deck area of 10,374 square meters and a maximum diving depth of 28 meters. Equipped with an electric propulsion system and seven propellers, the vessel is capable of DP-2 dynamic positioning. With a high degree of automation and rapid load adjustment in the floating state, it is capable of performing heavy-load operations and transportation in waters worldwide.
Allseas is a leading global offshore engineering contractor and one of the world’s top three heavy offshore engineering giants. Its business spans core areas such as subsea pipeline laying, heavy offshore lifting, offshore platform installation and decommissioning, underwater construction, and deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining and development. Guided by the principle of green development, Allseas is actively positioning itself in the energy transition sector, expanding into new business areas such as the installation of offshore wind power converter stations, the laying of subsea pipelines for carbon sequestration, and deep-sea mining trials, while continuing to support global marine engineering projects and the low-carbon, sustainable development of the oceans.
The construction of this project marks yet another breakthrough for Guangzhou Shipyard International in the field of high-end offshore engineering equipment. As one of the world’s leading semi-submersible shipbuilders, Guangzhou Shipyard International has built and delivered more than half of the world’s semi-submersible vessels. Leveraging its robust in-house design capabilities, the company has successfully mastered numerous key core technologies. Guangzhou Shipyard International will strictly ensure construction quality, closely monitor project milestones, and spare no effort in building green, heavy-lift equipment that meets global offshore engineering needs, thereby contributing to the high-quality development of the offshore engineering industry through its cutting-edge shipbuilding capabilities.