Seize Opportunity to Open up a New Journey of High Quality Development

Zhang Wenhao

At present, the global clean energy demand is increasing, and the increasingly prosperous LNG trade and transport make the LNG storage and transport equipment manufacturing stand in the "tuyere" of the market. In 1997,when China started the first overseas LNG import project, Hudong Zhonghua started the development of large-scale LNG carrier in synchronization, and successfully delivered China's first large LNG carrier in 2008. Under the strong leadership of CSSC, Hudong Zhonghua insisted on the production of LNG storage and transport equipment as the core strategy, and took an inconceivable road of completely independently design and building large-scale LNG carriers from introduction, digestion and absorption to independent R&D and independent innovation.

By 2019, the development of Chinese LNG industry in Hudong Zhonghua has entered the 22nd year. It has gone through the stage of foundation building and achieved steady growth, and stridden towards the third ten years in the course of development -- "Endeavour and pioneering period". In recent years,through all-round efforts, Hudong Zhonghua has shown a strong stamina for development. Hudong Zhonghua has vigorously strengthened the construction and operation of the National Key Laboratory of Energy LNG Marine Storage and Transport Equipment, with the expansion of 11 member units, and the establishment of a domestic professional LNG Technology Research Institute to carry out extensive cooperation within the industry and continuously enhance soft power. Based on the laboratory, Hudong Zhonghua continues to undertake the"Large-Scale LNG-FSRU R&D and Industrialization”, “Engineering Development of Integrated LNG Power Generation Ship”, “Domestic Application of MARK III Membrane Tank” and other important high-tech issues in various national ministries and commissions, and carries out forward-looking research on a regular basis to ensure that LNG technology is comparable to the advanced level of the world.

Hudong Zhonghua has built the capacity to construct LNG ships of No.96 series and MARK Ⅲ series at the same time. The product line has been widened to LNG bunkering vessel, LNG-FSRU,LNG powered ship and other fields,and has successfully delivered 21 world leading large-scale LNG ships. In 2019,new breakthroughs have been made in LNG ship modification to FSRU, LNG power system conversion of super-large container ship, etc., establishing itself as a shipbuilding enterprise with the capability of expanding the LNG whole industrial chain equipment.

With leading technology, gaining countless followers, orders kept pouring in. At present, Hudong Zhonghua holds 16+3 ships for all kinds of LNG products,including 5+3 (having won the bid, to be signed soon) 174000m3 LNG vessels,two 174000m3 LNG-FSRU vessels, two 18600m3 LNG bunkering ships, five 23000 TEU LNG powered container ships, one 15000 TEU container ship -LNG power system modification project,and 1 LNG ship refitting FSRU.

Although it is already the construction base for making many kinds of high-end products in the world, and the only shipbuilding enterprise in China having won "China Industrial Award ",Hudong Zhonghua people have never been complacent and conservative in applause, but continue to forge ahead and build more advanced ship models.

In 2019, the high quality development and innovation of Hudong Zhonghua began again. The design scheme of the full series LNG transport ship is provided, and the complete spectrum of the LNG ship from 20000 m3 to 270000 m3 is developed,which can carry the No.96 series and MARK III series membrane tanks, and cover the conventional and polar ice breaking LNG ships, providing a comprehensive solution for LNG transport.

With independent innovation, Hudong Zhonghua has built four generations of LNG vessels(G1 "Changqing series", G2 "Changjian series",G3 "Chang'an Series" and G4 "Changxing series").At present, integrating the latest technology and design concept, a new upgraded design G4 +"Changhui series" is planned to be launched. We learn that the main features of the 174,000m3 No.96 L03 + LNG ship and 175000 m3 Mark ⅢFlex LNG ship with the G4 + "Changhui series"design include four aspects:

The first is the new generation of the doublestern fin line type design and the energy-saving device optimization are matched to improve the speed of the ship；

Secondly, an integrated light weight design is adopted, and the optimized empty ship weight can be realized；

Third, the omni-directional energy saving design concept is adopted to significantly reduce the energy consumption of ship power station operation.

The fourth is to have a variety of flexible options, such as cryogenic spray-type reliquefaction equipment, air-lubricated drag reduction system, etc., which can provide customized service of individualized route for customers.

As the undertaker of China's LNG ship construction, Hudong Zhonghua deeply feels its mission and responsibility. In addition to R&D acceleration, can its core construction capacity be further improved? In this regard, the answer of Hudong Zhonghua is resolute! In recent years,Hudong Zhonghua has vigorously promoted the construction of the MARK III-type tank, and the special tooling equipment of the MARK III type containment system has been constructed, and special welding and adhesion process training has been completed. The world's largest LNG bunkering vessel of MARK III FLEX type tank will be delivered in February 2020 thanks to the growing maturity of the construction technology and the smooth construction of the MARK III tank.Hudong Zhonghua has realized the full coverage of membrane tank construction capacity, both membrane type of the NO96 series and the MARK III series can be selected by the customers, and the construction strength has become the first-class shipbuilding enterprise matrix in the world.

In April 2019, Hudong Zhonghua appeared at the 19th International LNG Congress with six latest products. It signed an agreement with DNV GL,a world-famous classification society, to jointly develop 270000m3 LNG carrier, which attracted extensive attention in the industry. Domestic and foreign media reported that China will build the world's largest 270000m3 LNG ship, and exclaimed: "This is a major breakthrough in the shipbuilding history"! Industry gave thumbs up that Hudong Zhonghua will promote the "train" of China's LNG equipment industry chain into a "new era".

As a pacesetter in the construction of LNG ships in China, the first ship of the Russian YAMAL project, the “Dubhe” is the most mainstream LNG ship in the world at present.Hudong Zhonghua used great wisdom to carry out the construction and delivered it in October 2019. In the process of ship construction, Hudong Zhonghua accelerated the innovation of construction technology, promoted the outfitting of tank in dock, improved the integrity of launching, and substantially shortened the construction cycle.Generator ran one month after the launch of the “Dubhe”, main engine ran five months after the launch, liquid nitrogen test was completed nine months after the launch, and gas trial was completed 10 months after the launch. Hudong Zhonghua took only 21 months to complete the first ship construction of the YAMAL LNG project, setting the shortest construction cycle of large LNG ship made in China. The shipowner said that various communications between Hudong Zhonghua and the shipowner were meticulous and considerate, and not only the construction process was smooth and the construction quality was excellent,but also the delivery of "zero defects" was realized, creating a new pride of China's intelligent manufacturing.

The successful construction of the“Dubhe” is a milestone in the process of China advancing the "Belt and Road”initiative and building the LNG whole industry chain, showing China’s LNG shipbuilding capacity has taken a big step towards the world leading level.

The successful experience of Hudong Zhonghua in the past 22 years has proved time and again that as long as we continue to innovate, we can break through our own limits and win the future.Under the guidance of the high quality development strategy outline of CSSC,Hudong Zhonghua will step up scientific and technological innovation and product research and development, responsibly undertake the leading role of equipment development in China's LNG industrial chain, make new contributions to the development of high-end manufacturing in China, and write a new chapter in the vigorous development of the LNG industrial chain.