Wuhu Shipyard launches the first methanol-dual-fuel bulk carrier built for Air China Ocean Shipping.

On October 28, Wuhu Shipyard successfully held the launching ceremony for the first 89,000-dwt methanol dual-fuel bulk carrier (hull No.: W23141), built for Air China Ocean Shipping, at its Weihai base.

Launching is a major milestone in the shipbuilding process. The completion of this stage marks the successful completion of the main hull construction, officially transitioning the vessel to the outfitting dock—where new phases such as dockside outfitting, equipment testing, and sea trials will begin.

Yang Guang, Team Leader of Air China's Overseas Supervision and Construction Group, Liu Jianjun, Senior Manager of the Ningbo Branch of China Huarong Financial Leasing Co., Ltd., Wu Shuyun, Surveyor from the Weihai Inspection Office of the China Classification Society, and Qin Liming, General Manager of Weihai Wuchuan Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organizations. Representatives from China Huarong Financial Leasing Co., Ltd., the Weihai Inspection Office of the China Classification Society, Weihai Wuchuan Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., and Shanghai Shuangxi Maritime Development Co., Ltd. also attended the ceremony.

W23141 is the largest-tonnage vessel that the Weihai base has undertaken to date. During the process of transferring it from the shipyard dock to the floating dock, the team made significant optimizations to the original plan—specifically addressing the vessel's immense self-weight—by replacing the traditional winch towing method with module-cart propulsion.

This adjustment has helped balance the ship's movement speed, enabling a precise and controllable dry-docking process. Additionally, the project team innovatively adopted a collaborative operation model featuring "launching trolleys + modular trolleys," deploying four specially designed trolley sets that increased the local load-bearing capacity to 3,000 tons. This robust support system ensured stable and reliable stabilization of the hull throughout the entire transfer process, guaranteeing both smoothness and safety.

According to reports, Air China's 89,000-dwt methanol dual-fuel bulk carrier is equipped with a methanol dual-fuel propulsion system capable of using biodiesel, along with an optimally designed methanol fuel tank capacity. By combining biodiesel with green methanol fuel, the vessel can not only achieve direct net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases but also strike a balance between operational efficiency and economic viability through flexible adjustments in fuel ratios.

This vessel has an overall length of 229.00 meters, a breadth of 36.00 meters, and a depth of 20.90 meters, with a deadweight tonnage of 88,700 tons, offering robust cargo-carrying capacity. Technically, it is equipped with seven cargo holds and features a methanol dual-fuel main engine, along with two generators, one emergency generator, and one shaft-driven generator, enabling a cruising speed of up to 14 knots and making it suitable for unlimited navigation areas. Environmentally, the main engine is fitted with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system, while the generators are equipped with a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system, ensuring compliance with the stringent TIER III emission standards.

This series of vessels is expected to inject fresh vitality into Air China Ocean's modern fleet upon delivery, significantly enhancing the company's competitiveness in the mainstream bulk shipping market.