Chinese shipbuilder Hudong-Zhonghua has named and delivered the 14,000 cubic meter (cbm) LNG bunkering vessel custom developed and designed to be deployed on the Yangtze River.
The vessel was named Huaihe Nengyuan Qihang and delivered during a ceremony held on July 19, two months ahead of schedule.
Said to be the world’s first river-to-sea LNG bunkering vessel, Huaihe Nengyuan Qihang was ordered by Anhui Changjiang LNG, an operator of the Wuhu LNG Terminal in Anhui Province, in 2022 as part of the Gasification of the Yangtze River strategy, aiming to switch ships sailing the river by burning heavy oil and diesel to use LNG and thus cut emissions.
The launching ceremony was held in January and gas trials were completed in early June 2024.
The dual-fuel vessel was independently developed, designed, and built by the Chinese shipyard and companies. It also features a B-type containment system independently designed by Hudong-Zhonghua as well as the capability to provide both LNG refueling and transportation services from river to sea.
In addition, the ship carries a dozen types of equipment that are first applied on board, including the first domestic LD compressor, cryogenic pump, and deep-cold device, with a localization rate of more than 80%, Hudong-Zhonghua said.
Classified by the China Classification Society (CCS), Huaihe Nengyuan Qihang has a total length of 130 meters, a molded width of 23.60 meters, and a molded depth of 15 meters.