China becomes world's leading power in container ship construction
China has become the world’s leading power in developing, designing and constructing large container ships. At the end of July, Shanghai Jiangnan Changxing Heavy Industry Co.,Ltd., which belongs to China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) finished the delivery of 9400TEU container ship built for Bernhard Schulte. This is the first large container ship over 9000TEU built by Shanghai. Besides, the contract signed between Shanghai Jiangnan Changxing Heavy Industry Co.,Ltd. and China Shipping and Transportation Leasing Co., Ltd. (Hong Kong) has become officially valid. The contract required Shanghai Jiangnan Changxing Heavy Industry Co.,Ltd to build 3 16000TEU seventh-generation container ships. Therefore, the validation of this contract meant that China has broken Korean shipbuilding corporations’ monopoly in the industry.
The 16000TEU container ship has an overall length of 399 meters—the longest in China’s shipbuilding history. It has a 54-meters-long beam, a molded depth of 30.2 meters, a height of 68 meters (equivalent to that of 23 floors), a speed of 22.2 knots and a deck area equivalent to that of four standard football fields. Its packing volume is 16189TEU and it can carry 1400 refrigerated containers. The 16000TEU container ship was co-developed and co-designed by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd (SWS) and China Shipbuilding Research & Design Center (CSRC). Two of them were constructed at Changxing Heavy Co. and the other one was constructed at SWS. The first ship is scheduled to be delivered by September, 2015.
The 9400TEU container ship adopted an optimized linear design, combined with a twisted rudder with rudder ball and efficient propellers. Its daily fuel consumption is 30% lower compared with ships of the same type. As to waste gas emissions, the 9400TEU container ship meets the TierⅡstandard. The ship cabin has achieved the disordered load of mixed boxes. Its hatch can be disorderly hanged, thus making the loading and uploading of containers more flexible. In addition, the vessel’s cab satisfied the requirement of one man bridge floor layout.
In order to enlarge the business, SWS has purchased 36% of Changxing Heavy Industry Co.’s shares in the first half year of 2013. Changxing Heavy Industry Co. is one of the most competent large container ship manufactures in China. It has successfully delivered 30 more container ships of different levels, such as 400TEU、8530TEU、5100TEU、4700TEU and 4600TEU. The validation of the contract of 16000TEU container ship is a remarkable step for Shanghai Jiangnan Changxing Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. to become China’s, and even the world’s biggest container ship construction center.