Yichang shipbuilders chart new course with clean energy
2025-06-05 21:06:36
By Yan Wanqin.
Shipbuilding companies in Yichang are ramping up innovation to drive the growth of green and smart shipbuilding.
Workers constructing ships at the Yichang Shipbuilding Industrial Park. Photo by Fu Beibei.At Zhijiang Shengmao Shipbuilding, located in Yichang Shipbuilding Industrial Park, the shipyard is buzzing with activity.
"This is an LNG cargo ship built for Hongrui Company. It can carry both containers and bulk cargo. The vessel is 130 meters long, 7.2 meters deep, and 16.26 meters wide. It is nearly complete and will be delivered within two months," said Guan Tiejun, the company's deputy general manager.
With all 10 berths in use and 28 ships under construction, Shengmao is operating at full capacity. The company focuses on building ships powered by LNG, methanol, and electric propulsion systems, especially the 130-meter standardized container ships for the Yangtze River. Notably, all of Shengmao's recent orders are for new-energy ships.
Nearby, at Zhijiang Hongju Shipbuilding—also situated in the park—workers are busy welding, assembling, and painting ships.
Wang Bin, head of the company, said that to keep up with rising demand, the company plans to upgrade its production lines, including introducing new welding equipment and lifting equipment, building photovoltaic facilities, and introducing intelligent monitoring and behavior recognition systems.
The Yichang Shipbuilding Industrial Park, located in Zhijiang, hosts nine shipbuilding companies - including Shengmao, Hongju, Xinhui, Jiangrui, and Xingda - along a 3-kilometer stretch of the Yangtze River. These companies have produced a range of vessels, including China's first fast catamaran container ship and fully electric cruise ships designed for luxury night excursions along the Three Gorges.
"This is an LNG cargo ship built for Hongrui Company. It can carry both containers and bulk cargo. The vessel is 130 meters long, 7.2 meters deep, and 16.26 meters wide. It is nearly complete and will be delivered within two months," said Guan Tiejun, the company's deputy general manager.
With all 10 berths in use and 28 ships under construction, Shengmao is operating at full capacity. The company focuses on building ships powered by LNG, methanol, and electric propulsion systems, especially the 130-meter standardized container ships for the Yangtze River. Notably, all of Shengmao's recent orders are for new-energy ships.
Nearby, at Zhijiang Hongju Shipbuilding—also situated in the park—workers are busy welding, assembling, and painting ships.
Wang Bin, head of the company, said that to keep up with rising demand, the company plans to upgrade its production lines, including introducing new welding equipment and lifting equipment, building photovoltaic facilities, and introducing intelligent monitoring and behavior recognition systems.
The Yichang Shipbuilding Industrial Park, located in Zhijiang, hosts nine shipbuilding companies - including Shengmao, Hongju, Xinhui, Jiangrui, and Xingda - along a 3-kilometer stretch of the Yangtze River. These companies have produced a range of vessels, including China's first fast catamaran container ship and fully electric cruise ships designed for luxury night excursions along the Three Gorges.
An aerial view of the Yichang Shipbuilding Industrial Park. Photo by Fu Beibei.According to Zhijiang Bureau of Economic Information and Commerce, as of May, companies in the park had completed 26 ships, including 10 new energy ships. An additional 99 ships are under construction, with 66 of them being new energy ships, accounting for 67 percent.
In 2025, 72 new ship orders have been received, with 91.7 percent intended for new-energy vessels. Nine new foreign trade ship orders have also been secured, and are bound for countries such as Indonesia.
Fu Jiangshan contributed to this story.
