Construction of the first 84,500-metric-ton multi-purpose pulp carrier, the world’s largest of its kind, is underway.
A design image of the first 84,500-metric-ton multi-purpose pulp carrier, the world’s largest of its kind [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
Independently designed and developed by Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited, the ship is 225 meters long, 36 meters wide and 21.05 meters deep. It has a designed draft of 10 meters and a service speed of 15.5 knots.
Having been registered at the China Classification Society (CCS), the carrier will be mainly used in import of strategic bulk cargo like pulp and export of China-made equipment such as automobiles, energy storage facilities, wind and photovoltaic power devices, engineering machines, port machinery and items suitable for rail traffic facilities.
Compared with previous multi-purpose pulp carriers, the one under construction has better carrying capacity and professional pulp transportation, as well as superior energy-conservation and environmental protection. It meets the highest requirements of the Maritime Agreement Regarding Oil Pollution (the Marpol Agreement) and the green carrier standard of the CCS.
Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute in recent years has kept improving pulp carrier design to make it capable of transporting more goods with smarter operation. So far, the company has design orders for nearly 80 pulp carriers. It has contributed to development of China’s multi-purpose pulp carrier fleet, and promoted development of the country’s marine transport of pulp and general cargo.
(Executive editor: Xie Yunxiao)
