SWS hits new record as it completes LNG-fueled 8,600 CEU PCTC in just 200 days

March 26, 2025, by Naida Hakirevic Prevljak

Chinese shipbuilder Shanghai Waigaoquiao Shipbuilding (SWS), part of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), has named and delivered an 8,600 CEU liquefied natural gas- (LNG) powered car carrier built for China’s financial services company CITIC Financial Leasing.

The vessel, Wen Jing Kou, is the first in a series of pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs) ordered by CITIC. To be operated by COSCO Shipping, the newbuild will reportedly carry vehicles made in China to European ports on its maiden voyage.

As informed, SWS broke the construction record with this ship as the shipyard managed to complete and deliver it in just 200 days.

Wen Jing Kou features a length of 199.9 meters, a breadth of 38 meters and has a designed speed of 19 knots. Classed by DNV and China Classification Society (CCS), the vessel was designed by Shanghai Ship Research and Design Institute (SDARI) under CSSC.

On its 14 vehicle decks, the PCTC can load cars, trucks, buses, trailers, and roll-on/roll-off cargoes, etc. At the same time, it can also load various electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, natural gas-powered vehicles and other vehicle types, and is suitable for a variety of packaged dangerous goods and containers, SWS said.

The new record set while constructing this vessel suggests that China loses no time in its efforts to maintain its position as a dominant shipbuilding nation. Currently, the country is building a total of 62% of new ships ordered globally, according to Intermodal.

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The continuing growth of China’s shipbuilding sector comes despite planned US tariffs that aim to exert pressure on China. To remind, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) proposed a measure to charge a fee of up to $1.5 million for Chinese-built vessels entering US ports in an attempt to curb China’s dominance in maritime. This measure, along with several others, targets Chinese ship operators and Chinese-built vessels and promotes the transport of US goods on domestic vessels.

However, China’s government said the new US plan could only negatively affect global supply and industrial chains but not necessarily revitalize the United States’ shipbuilding industry.

“If you fail in your actions, you should look for the reasons within yourself,” Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and China’s Foreign Minister, stressed.