Construction efficiency hits a new record! Two vessels from Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding were launched on the same day.

Recently, the No. 1 dock gate at Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding was opened, and two vessels of different types successfully exited the dock. The two ships that departed are the 114,000‑dwt Aframax product tanker H1591, built for Vietnam’s ASP Company, and the 7,000‑TEU container ship H1631, constructed for Taiwan’s Dexiang Shipping. Li Zhizhong, Director of Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding, along with representatives from the shipowners, the classification society’s on‑site representatives, and heads of relevant company departments, jointly attended the dock‑out ceremony.

This construction phase faced severe challenges posed by multiple extreme weather conditions, including the plum rain season, scorching heat, typhoons, and intense convective storms. Under the coordinated leadership of the project team, all departments worked in close collaboration to overcome difficulties, leveraging meticulous planning and thorough deployment while drawing on prior construction experience to develop scientifically sound, specialized production schedules. By adopting “IHOP integrated hull‑outfitting‑painting” and the “Four Zeroes” approach, the team rigorously implemented regional completion management and vigorously promoted innovative processes such as “semi‑ship‑based powered vehicle operations,” “integrated construction of ship hatch covers,” and on‑dock mid‑water commissioning, thereby significantly enhancing both the completeness of vessels at departure and overall construction efficiency.

H1591 is the first 114,000‑ton Aframax product tanker built by Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding for Vietnam’s ASP Company. Drawing extensively on experience from similar vessels and implementing targeted optimizations, the project team set a new record by completing the main propulsion machinery installation while still at the half‑ship stage, significantly enhancing the overall completeness of on‑dock construction. Prior to departure from the dock, the vessel not only routinely passed inspection of the entire piping system, installed interior fit‑out panels, conducted generator load tests, carried out boiler ignition and leak‑tightness tests, performed three pairs of primary sandblasting in the cargo oil tanks, completed all compartment tightness checks, and applied rust‑preventive treatment to the main deck, but also, for the first time, removed scaffolding from four pairs of ballast tanks while still in the dock. Notably, the vessel’s progress in dockside mooring trials improved markedly compared with other ships of the same class.

H1631 is the second vessel in a series of 7,000‑TEU container ships that Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding has built under an extended contract with Dalian Shipping. The ship successfully exited the dry dock in a “zero‑structural‑leftovers” condition, with construction and inspection work in the engine room, superstructure, and cargo‑hold areas completed efficiently and on schedule. Notably, significant progress was made in dismantling the scaffolding in the cargo‑hold area; in particular, the successful removal of the side‑tank scaffolding and the proper sealing of the service openings saved substantial time during the ballast‑adjustment phase at the terminal. Meanwhile, the vessel surpassed its target by 35% in the on‑dock mooring trials, and its overall readiness for handover improved markedly compared to the preceding ship.