World's first 41,800-ton bi-directional shallow-draft self-unloading vessel travels on the water. [Photo/China Central Television]
The world's first 41,800-metric ton bi-directional shallow-draft self-unloading vessel was delivered on July 21 by CSSC Chengxi Shipyard, a shipbuilder based in Jiangyin, a county-level city in Wuxi, setting three global records in the process.
The vessel measures 215 meters in length and 42 meters in beam, with a cargo hold capacity of 29,000 cubic meters. It is equipped with a self-unloading system, enabling single-side or dual-side discharge as operational conditions require. The system achieves a total unloading capacity of 12,000 tons per hour, the fastest in the world for a vessel of its class.
Beyond its unloading speed, the vessel is also the first self-unloading carrier in its tonnage class capable of bi-directional navigation — a feature particularly valuable in shallow and confined waters.
"This 215-meter vessel operates much like a train that can run in either direction," said Zhang Xinlong, general manager of CSSC Chengxi Shipyard. "In narrow, shallow waters, it requires no turning."
The vessel is the first in a series of five self-unloading ships ordered for operations off the coast of Guinea in West Africa, where they will support the Simandou iron ore project by providing critical equipment transport and stable ore transfer capacity.
Copyright © China Daily. All rights reserved.