en.Wedoany.com Reported - The first vessel of Shandong Shipping Corporation's 325,000 DWT methanol dual-fuel new-generation ore carrier project, OC325K-17, has completed its in-dock construction and been launched, transitioning to the quay outfitting and mooring trial phase.
This series of vessels is equipped with ME-LGIM methanol dual-fuel main engines, supporting dual-mode operation with marine fuel oil and green methanol. When operating on methanol, it achieves a 86.5% reduction in CO2 emissions and a 99% reduction in SOx emissions. Both modes meet the IMO NOx Tier III emission standards and the highest EEDI Phase III energy efficiency requirements. The vessels are fitted with EGR exhaust gas recirculation and desulfurization systems, as well as five wind rotor sails, a high-voltage shore power system, a shaft generator, and variable frequency control systems for key equipment throughout the ship. The vessels also reserve space for future LNG and ammonia fuel conversions and interfaces for carbon capture systems, along with a self-developed visual compensation system to address line-of-sight obstructions from the bridge.
Independently developed by the China Ship Design and Research Center, this project belongs to the new-generation GuaibaMax (Sirius series) ultra-large ore carriers, with an overall length of 340 meters, a beam of 62 meters, and a structural draft of 21.15 meters. They are classed by China Classification Society (CCS) and Det Norske Veritas (DNV), with hull dimensions tailored to the loading and unloading standards of Vale's dedicated ports. Currently, this vessel type is positioned as a new-generation green, intelligent ultra-large ore carrier (VLOC) with outstanding comprehensive competitiveness in the international dry bulk market.
Against the backdrop of accelerating low-carbon transformation in global shipping and tightening ship energy efficiency and emission regulations by the International Maritime Organization, Shandong Shipping has launched the world's first methanol-powered 325,000 DWT GuaibaMax ultra-large ore carrier (VLOC) project to meet the long-term ocean ore transport capacity needs of Brazil's Vale. All vessels in this series are built by Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding, with participation from multiple financial leasing companies and Bohai Ocean Shipping, and are uniformly managed and operated by Shandong Shipping to share financial pressure and secure long-term cargo demand.
Since the project's launch in December 2023, multiple contracts have been signed. During the Marintec China exhibition in Shanghai in December 2023, Shandong Shipping signed the initial contract for four vessels with Beihai Shipbuilding. In September 2024, an additional two vessels were ordered, bringing the series to six vessels, with a total project cost of approximately RMB 5.5 billion. Upon delivery, the new vessels will serve long-term contracts on major ore routes from Brazil to China. In June 2025, Shandong Shipping signed another contract for ten vessels of the same type, with three rounds of cooperation locking in a total of 16 325,000 DWT methanol dual-fuel VLOCs, with a total project investment of nearly RMB 10 billion. In September 2025, the first vessel, OC325K-17, officially commenced construction at Beihai Shipbuilding, entering the substantive building phase.
