Five new vessels built in Dry Dock No. 4 at Hengli Heavy Industries were floated out simultaneously.
On the morning of September 18, two 114,000 DWT LR2 oil tankers were the first to launch from the dry dock and successfully berth at their designated berths. Three 82,000 DWT bulk carriers followed closely behind, launching one after another. That afternoon, all five new vessels had completed the launching and berthing process and entered the full-scale outfitting phase at the dock.
Hengli Heavy Industries announced that its Dock No. 4, measuring 860 meters long and 146 meters wide, can accommodate the simultaneous construction of four 24,000 TEU container ships, making it the world’s largest dock to date.
It is reported that since the beginning of this year, Hengli Heavy Industries has achieved a series of construction milestones, including the simultaneous launch of four VLCCs from Dry Dock No. 1, the launch of six new vessels from Dry Dock No. 3 on the same day, and the simultaneous launch of four vessels from Dry Dock No. 2. The successful launch of five vessels from Dry Dock No. 4 demonstrates Hengli Heavy Industries’ resource advantages as a world-class shipbuilding base.
Following the launching of this batch of vessels, Dry Dock No. 4 will accommodate the simultaneous assembly of ultra-large container ships, ultra-large oil tankers, and high-end gas carriers, once again setting a new record for the shipbuilding industry.
Based on publicly available information, Hengli Heavy Industries’ Dock No. 1 is 740 meters long and 135 meters wide, capable of simultaneously building four 300,000-ton VLCCs; Docks No. 2 and No. 3 are both 860 meters long and 80 meters wide, capable of simultaneously building two 24,000-TEU container ships; Dock No. 4 is currently Hengli’s largest dock, measuring 860 meters long and 146 meters wide, and capable of simultaneously building four 24,000-TEU container ships.
As of the end of July 2026, Hengli Heavy Industries had received cumulative orders for nearly 550 vessels in its four years of operation, with delivery schedules extending through 2030. As its order backlog grows, Hengli Heavy Industries is simultaneously advancing its capacity expansion plans, with plans to invest 13.5 billion yuan (approximately $2.016 billion at current exchange rates) in three major capacity expansion projects.
It is reported that construction has begun on Hengli Heavy Industries’ Dock No. 5 and No. 6 project, with the dimensions of the new docks once again setting a new record: 1,298 meters in length, 146 meters in width, and 15 meters in depth.