According to news, China has launched the world’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering and transport vessel with a capacity of 14,000 cubic meters, capable of navigating both rivers and seas.
The vessel, named Huaihe Nengyuan Qihang, was constructed by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co., a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corp. It was delivered and officially named in Shanghai, surpassing its delivery schedule by two months, according to a report from the Global Times on Sunday. The vessel boasts a remarkable localization rate of over 85 percent, marking a significant technological milestone.
The completion of this vessel is highly significant for advancing carbon emissions reduction efforts along the Yangtze River. It supports the use of LNG for refueling in the Yangtze River Basin and establishes new inland LNG transport routes, as noted by its builders.
Measuring 130 meters in length, 23.6 meters in width, and with a depth of 15 meters, the vessel features a dual-fuel propulsion system that enables it to operate both in the Yangtze River and in deep-sea environments.
The ship’s delivery demonstrates several technological breakthroughs in localization, particularly in the cooling system, LNG compressors, incinerators, dual-fuel power generators, the power distribution system, and electric propulsion systems.
