He Baoxin, Lu Xiaoqing

“Ubuntu Integrity”, a 190,000 DWT LNG dual-fueled capesize bulk carrier built by CSSC Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (SWS)for Taiwan-based U-Ming Marine Transport Corporation, was signed and delivered on January 31. This is the first ship delivered by a CSSC shipyard in the Year of the Rabbit,indicating SWS has started its decisive battle mode “cruise leading, one body and two wings” in 2023 across the board.

“Ubuntu Integrity” is a newgeneration dual-fueled ship with independent IPRs, independently developed and designed by SWS and is an upgraded version of the world brand capesize bulk carrier owned by the company. With an overall length of 299.8 m, a molded breadth of 47.5 m, a molded depth of 24.7 m, a design draft of 18.25 m, and a design speed of 14 knots, the ship is equipped with two Type-C LNG fuel tanks, fuel gas endurance reaches 20,000 nautical miles, allowing the vessel to complete two round-trip routes from China to Australia or one round-trip route from China to Brazil. Using LNG as fuel, it basically eliminates the emissions of particulate matter and sulfide and the EEDI is 45% lower than the baseline.Meanwhile, by meeting the IMO Phase IV specification requirements,it is a green, environmental protection, energy saving and safe high-tech ship.

We learn that in as early as 2012, SWS began to deeply study the international shipping market trends and relevant rules and norms, and deployed the dual-fuel ship research and development in advance, and has the independent R&D and design capability of dual-fueled ships. So far, the company has received orders for 23 dual-fuel ships, with eight delivered and 11 under construction.Since the beginning of the New Year,while ensuring the timely delivery of dual-fuel ships under construction on schedule and with quality, SWS has been accelerating and improving the production schedule and efficiency of related key projects. According to statistics, in January this year, SWS has completed nine production milestones,including deliveries of two ships, sea trials of two ships, undockings of two ships and dry dock launchings of three ships. More importantly, the company's high-profile first domestic large cruise ship project is advancing in an actively and orderly fashion.

The year 2023 is the decisive year for CSSC “No.1 Project -- first homemade large cruise ship. Since the New Year, the ship has successively realized the formal use of the elevator,the lifting of the aluminum alloy structure for the sports ground in place,and completion of the mechanical site system and the prefabricated cabin assembly project. During the Spring Festival holiday season, nearly 1,000 people, including more than 40 Chinese and foreign engineers from the contractor and subcontractors,as well as SWS management and construction personnel, worked overtime every day to catch up with the progress around the delivery of the ship outfitting background, interior decoration construction and system commissioning. At the same time, SWS carefully organized and planned to fully implement the production preparations of the domestic large cruise ship No.2, and continued to speed up the segmented production, laying a solid foundation for realizing the milestone of docking, final assembly and embarkation in July this year.

SWS vowed that, under the CSSC strong leadership, they will be braced with one heart, forge ahead bravely,struggle hard toward the midyear undocking and year-end delivery of the first domestic large cruise ship,make out with all their strength a new chapter “cruise leading, one body and two wings”, harvest the shipbuilding“l(fā)ast pearl on the crown”, and realize the long-cherished wish of Chinese shipbuilding people.