China's Hudong-Zhonghua Signs Construction Contracts for 5 174,000 m³ LNG Carriers

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 16, Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited, together with China Shipbuilding Trading Co., Ltd., formally signed construction contracts with Malaysia International Shipping Corporation (MISC) for 5 large 174,000 m³ liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers. With this, Hudong-Zhonghua's total order book for LNG carriers has reached 57 vessels, accounting for more than 21% of the global share and ranking first in the world by cargo tank capacity, demonstrating Hudong-Zhonghua's international brand influence in the global LNG carrier research and development field.

The 174,000 m³ LNG carriers contracted this time are the fifth-generation "Changheng Series" ship type independently developed by Hudong-Zhonghua, equipped with the NO.96 Super+ cargo containment system, meeting the latest provisions of the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk and the relevant emission reduction requirements of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), integrating safety and reliability, green energy efficiency, and operational economy. This ship type incorporates multiple low-carbon and energy-saving technologies, with outstanding advantages in cargo storage and transport, comprehensive energy consumption, and route adaptability, fully matching international shipowners' long-term LNG capacity deployment needs. More importantly, the batch commercial deployment of this ship type is continuously consolidating the domestic LNG carrier industrial chain supporting capacity and driving the coordinated development of upstream and downstream supporting industries.

From January to February this year, Hudong-Zhonghua successively signed construction contracts with MISC for the first batch of 3 and the second batch of 2 174,000 m³ LNG carriers, laying a solid foundation for large-scale long-term cooperation. The signing of the construction contracts for these 5 new vessels once again confirms MISC's high recognition of Hudong-Zhonghua's research and development design, construction quality, and contract performance capability for large LNG carriers. From January to October this year, Hudong-Zhonghua has cumulatively received new orders for 15 LNG carriers, with production schedules extending beyond 2030, demonstrating the company's competitive strength and leading position in the international LNG carrier construction field.

On the same day, the 174,000 m³ large LNG carrier "AL FANAR," built by Hudong-Zhonghua for the Qatar Energy LNG transportation project, was also delivered. This is not only the 9th large LNG carrier delivered by Hudong-Zhonghua this year, bringing the company's cumulative LNG carrier deliveries to 68 vessels, but also brings the number of large LNG carriers delivered by Chinese shipbuilders this year to 17, continuing to set a new annual delivery record for large LNG carriers by Chinese shipbuilders.

As a leader in China's LNG carrier industry, Hudong-Zhonghua has consistently adhered to repaying the trust of international customers with excellent products and professional services over the past 20-plus years, continuously achieving the transition from "single-vessel construction" to "chain-based leadership." The company continues to tackle independent core technologies, building complete capabilities across the entire chain from research and development design, construction and testing, to ship delivery. Leveraging the strong systemic advantages of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, Hudong-Zhonghua uses batch orders as a driving force to continuously accelerate lean management and digital transformation, connecting the entire chain of design, procurement, and production collaboration, building a well-structured talent pipeline, systematically cultivating professionals in scientific research and innovation, project management, and high-end construction, continuously strengthening quality control and project performance capabilities, driving the overall upgrading of the domestic LNG industrial chain, and continuously increasing construction capacity.

At present, competition among the world's leading shipbuilders in large LNG carriers has extended from a contest of order numbers to more dimensions including next-generation low-carbon ship types, new containment systems, and full life-cycle operation and maintenance services. Chinese shipbuilders are also moving from simply catching up in production capacity toward all-round upgrading in technology, brand, and services. Through large-scale batch construction and accelerated technological iteration, Hudong-Zhonghua continues to achieve breakthroughs in the research and development of green ship types represented by LNG carriers, with more than 15 types of future green vessels in reserve, capable of meeting mainstream demand from international market customers. The company will continue to deepen its presence in the high-end gas carrier sector, consolidate its global leading advantage, continuously enhance the global competitiveness of China's shipbuilding in the LNG carrier field, and contribute more Chinese equipment to global clean energy transportation.