The world's first ship! Design of methanol dual fuel VLOC received order from Shanghai Shipyard
On December 29, 2023, the world's first optimized 325000 ton methanol dual fuel powered mineral sand ship GREEN DOLPHIN 325 for bauxite, jointly developed and designed by China Shipbuilding Group Shanghai Shipbuilding Research and Design Institute and COSCO Shipping and Bulk Transportation, received two ship construction orders. The shipowner of this project is COSCO Shipping Bulk Transport Co., Ltd., which will be constructed by Yangzhou COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry Co., Ltd.
The ship operates flexibly and has strong applicability. Special design and consideration have been given to the cargo hold area, which has increased the cargo hold capacity by more than 40% compared to traditional ore carriers of this scale. This allows the vessel to not only load iron ore, but also lower density bauxite ore to achieve full cargo capacity. Based on years of research by the Shanghai Shipyard on the navigation routes and sea conditions of ultra large ore carriers (VLOCs), a low wave resistance line suitable for sailing in wind and waves in mid to high latitude areas of the Indian Ocean has been developed, which improves overall performance by more than 5% and brings more competitive operating fuel consumption to shipowners. The loading design takes into account both the traditional Brazilian iron ore terminal and the unique requirements of the Guinea terminal in West Africa. The use of methanol as the main fuel as an alternative energy source, combined with the design concept of a methanol/fuel dual-use compartment, enables ships to meet the requirements of different stages of CII throughout their entire life cycle, providing shipowners with a more green and economical solution.
This project was launched 5 years ago, during which Shanghai Shipyard has maintained close communication and cooperation with shipowners, classification societies, and shipyards. After years of research and development and technical preparation, it finally bloomed and yielded results by the end of 2023. From 230000 ton ore carriers, 264000 ton WOZMAX ore carriers, 300000 ton ore carriers, 325000 ton GUAIBAMAX ore carriers, to 400000 ton VALEMAX ore carriers, the Shanghai Shipyard ore carrier series has formed a full ship coverage from small to large. Since 2012, for VLOC projects with a load capacity of over 300000 tons, Shanghai Shipyard has placed 74 effective orders, with a domestic market share of 86% and a global market share of 46%.
Shanghai Shipyard actively responds to the requirements of the Action Plan for Green Development of Shipbuilding Industry ρ A glimpse of another masterpiece in the OLPHIN series, the crab ladle has fulfilled the country's commitment to the dual carbon strategy with practical actions, and has also contributed positively to the decarbonization and emission reduction of international shipping.
