Hubei OceanTech shipbuilding project 95% complete, production set for October

By Chen Zai

The Hubei OceanTech Ship Heavy Industry project is 95 percent complete, with production expected to begin this October.

Construction site of the OceanTech Ship Heavy Industry project. Photo by Sun Yumin.

Located in the Yidu Green Intelligent Ship Industrial Park, the project broke ground last December. It has an investment of 2 billion yuan (US$295.1 million) and covers more than 300 mu (20 hectares). The yard will build high-value vessels, including roll-on/roll-off ships, LNG-powered cargo ships, and fully electric sightseeing cruise ships.

The shipbuilder has secured 21 orders before production begins, with production scheduled through 2028. Orders include inland chemical tankers, bulk carriers, international oil and chemical tankers, and river-sea container ships. These vessels will be powered by LNG, methanol, or diesel.

Robotic arms at work at the project site. Photo by Sun Yumin.

A July order for a 15,000-ton methanol-powered river-sea bulk carrier stands out. It marks a key application of low-carbon shipping technology on the Yangtze River's main waterway.

Reporter Sun Yumin contributed to this story.