618! A 300,000-DWT Giant Vessel “Ships Out”
618! A 300,000-DWT Giant Vessel “Ships Out”
On June 18, the 98th VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier) built by Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd. (DSIC), a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), for China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES) was named and delivered.
CSSC Party Leadership Group Member and Deputy General Manager Sun Wei attended the vessel handover and naming ceremony via video link from Shanghai. CSSC External Director Li Jianhong and China Merchants Group Party Committee Member and Deputy General Manager Feng Boming attended the ceremony on site.
Named “Kai Yong”, the vessel is the fourth ship in a series of six new-generation energy-efficient and environmentally friendly VLCCs specially built by DSIC for CMES. It is also the 23rd 300,000-DWT-class VLCC delivered by DSIC to CMES.
The series features outstanding overall performance as well as excellent safety and environmental protection capabilities. The vessels comply with the Harmonized Common Structural Rules (HCSR), the latest NOx and SOx emission requirements, EEDI and EEXI standards, the EU Ship Recycling Regulation hazardous materials inventory requirements, and the latest requirements of major oil companies.
The vessel has an overall length of 333 meters, a molded breadth of 60 meters, and a molded depth of 30 meters. Designed for unrestricted navigation, it has a range of more than 26,000 nautical miles and can operate globally. At a design draft of 20.5 meters, it can safely carry 2 million barrels of crude oil through the Strait of Malacca.
DSIC and CMES jointly undertook a Ministry of Industry and Information Technology high-tech ship research project and applied multiple cutting-edge green technologies to the actual vessel, continuing to lead the development and design of environmentally friendly VLCCs.
The subsequent 99th vessel in the series will adopt the latest-generation main engine, shaft generator system, and air lubrication system. Upon delivery, its designed energy efficiency index will achieve EEDI Phase 3, exceeding requirements for ships contracted after 2025.
The 100th vessel will be equipped with two pairs of wind-assisted sails, with further improvements in maneuverability, sail material technology, and propulsion systems compared with the previous generation, delivering even greater energy-saving performance.
The successful delivery of “Kai Yong” represents an active contribution to China’s strategies of becoming a manufacturing powerhouse, strengthening maritime transportation capabilities, and building a world-leading shipping nation. The vessel is set to ride the waves and sail toward new horizons.
