en.Wedoany.com Reported - Recently, Zhoushan Xinya Shipbuilding & Repairing Co., Ltd. successfully completed the conversion of an 80,000 DWT Kamsarmax bulk carrier, the "GUANG QI DE ER TA," into a 3,600 TEU container ship. This conversion project is not only the world's first major engineering project to convert a bulk carrier of this type into a container ship but also the largest tonnage "bulk-to-container" conversion project globally.
The vessel has an overall length of 229 meters, a beam of 32.26 meters, and a depth of 20.25 meters. It was delivered in 2012. In November 2025, the vessel entered Xinya Shipyard's facility; in January 2026, the conversion project officially commenced; and in June 2026, the vessel completed the conversion in approximately five months.
The conversion of this vessel was not merely an adjustment of the deck area but a comprehensive redesign of its cargo function. The project encompassed multiple core and challenging construction tasks, including extensive structural modifications to the hull, complete reconfiguration of the cargo hold layout, design and installation of a new container lashing system, and optimization and adaptation of the ship's supporting systems.
The vessel's original seven large dry bulk cargo holds were converted into 13 container holds, with a maximum container capacity of 3,607 TEU. The deck structure was simultaneously modified to meet the installation and operational requirements for container stacking and securing equipment. The accommodation area in the superstructure was raised as a whole to satisfy multiple operational requirements, including container loading height, navigational visibility, and navigation regulations.
During the conversion, the China Classification Society (CCS) maintained strict oversight throughout the entire process, including design review, raw material acceptance, on-site construction techniques, welding quality, and mooring and sea trials. The project successfully overcame several industry technical "bottlenecks," such as large-scale hull section modification, high-precision structural alignment, and multi-system collaborative adaptation. It also identified and implemented the new regulatory requirements that the vessel needed to meet due to the major conversion.
It is understood that, in addition to this conversion project, Xinya Shipyard currently has at least two more Supramax bulk carriers slated for conversion into 2,500 TEU container ships. The vessels proposed for conversion are primarily Diamond 53-type open-hatch Supramax bulk carriers built by Chengxi Shipyard Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, between 2005 and 2011. This vessel type features a double-hull, open-hatch design, making the conversion process relatively simpler compared to conventional bulk carriers and thus a more ideal candidate for conversion. The main conversion work includes: removing the four midline cranes on board and raising the engine room by approximately two deck levels to meet the requirement for stacking seven tiers of containers on deck. The main dimensions of the completed vessel remain unchanged, with an overall length of 190 meters and a beam of 32.29 meters, capable of accommodating 13 rows of containers.
This series of "bulk-to-container" conversion projects reflects the current demand from major liner companies for vessels with lower speeds and limited reefer container capacity, while also indicating that the container market capacity remains tight. With most vessels sold out and charter rates remaining high, the incentive to bring non-standard tonnage into the market is increasing. This also presents opportunities for China's leading ship repair enterprises to seize market opportunities and expand into the conversion project market.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
