Hudong-Zhonghua completes LNGC ‘two-in-one’ trial in record time

September 28, 2023, by Aida Čučuk

China’s Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding has completed the ‘two-in-one’ (regular and gas) trial in five and a half days for the 174,000 cubic meter large liquefied natural gas carrier (LNGC) built by the company for China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Shipping Leasing, setting what is said to be a record for the shortest trial in the history of global LNG ship construction.

Courtesy of Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding

The company said it attaches great importance to the trial, adding it has interspersed sea trials and gas trial projects according to different working conditions and sea conditions, and carried out all-in-one trials, interlocking to achieve seamless connection between pilot projects.

Hudong-Zhonghua further stated that the ship took five months from undocking to completing sea trials, noting that the dock construction period was a full two months shorter than that of foreign shipyards.

To note, after the sea trial, the ship entered the final sprint stage of delivery.

Representatives of CSSC Leasing who participated in the trial called Hudong-Zhonghua a ‘chain leader’ in the domestic LNG industry chain, highlighting the company’s implementation of advanced construction techniques and processes in the construction of large-scale LNG ships.

Hudong-Zhonghua emphasized that other witnesses to the trial were satisfied with the results and praised the completion of each test project in such a short period of time.

To remind, in October 2021, the company built its second 174,000 cubic meter large-scale floating liquefied natural gas storage and regasification unit (LNG-FSRU), and it took 20 days to efficiently complete its regular sea trials and gas trials.

Since then, this trial mode has been promoted and implemented on 23,000 TEU dual-fuel container ships, Hudong-Zhonghua claimed, adding that in just three years, the company’s management level and construction technology have become more sophisticated, and the ‘two-in-one’ trial efficiency has increased nearly four times.

The construction team stated it is confident in creating more world records “in the process of implementing the LNG production capacity doubling strategy and strengthening, extending and replenishing the LNG industry chain.”