Country's shipbuilders chart new waters(4)

Work proceeds on giant ships at Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard, which has more than 20,000 employees and is located on Changxing Island in Shanghai. (PHOTO/CHINA NEWS SERVICE)

Aiming higher

With research and development for a sixth-generation vessel in progress, Chinese industrial experts are taking a rational view of the future.

Song said the next-generation LNG carrier will combine all the common characteristics of future vessels, including green, low-energy consumption. It will also be easier to manage and operate, and will require fewer repairs and maintenance.

With their much longer history of developing LNG vessels, Song said South Korean shipyards are still better-placed in many respects, such as new technologies, the use of digitalization and intelligence, and a higher localization rate for components and facilities. These shipyards also take less time to build a vessel than their competitors.

For example, it takes 18 to 19 months for a top South Korean shipyard to construct one LNG carrier, while it may take Hudong-Zhonghua 40 to 60 days more, or even longer. A new Chinese shipyard typically spends more than 30 months building a vessel, Song said.

Hu, from Jiangnan Shipyard, said: "Compared with international peers, Chinese LNG shipbuilders lag behind in terms of experience, management and building efficiency. Therefore, each of us should give full play to our strengths."

But Chinese shipbuilders are hungering for more.

Song said: "Even when we are asked for an enhanced performance of just 1 percent, our team is always willing to try all options to make this possible. Such a spirit not only helps us win trust from customers, but also makes us better."

At the start of this year, Hudong-Zhonghua announced a strategy to double its LNG construction capacity. The shipyard plans to build 16 LNG ships simultaneously during the peak time this year.

As it expands its facilities, Hudong-Zhonghua's annual LNG carrier delivery capability will rise from four to five vessels this year to up to 10 in 2025 if the strategy is completed successfully, Song said.