On 30 August Xin Hai Xun, China’s first 15,000-cubic-metre dual-fuel hopper dredger, successfully returned from its LNG-powered sea trials.
This milestone vessel was built by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC) for China Communications Construction Company (CCCC). Xin Hai Xun fills a significant gap in the domestic market as the first dual-fuel powered dredger in China, utilising LNG as its primary energy source.
The LNG propulsion system not only matches the performance of traditional diesel engines but also significantly reduces emissions, cutting nitrogen oxides by 90 per cent and carbon dioxide by 20 per cent.
During the LNG-powered sea trials, the vessel successfully completed key tests, including fuel-to-gas switching for main and auxiliary engines, durability testing in gas mode, dynamic positioning (DP) functionality, controllable pitch propeller (CPP) operations, and dredging and bow blowing in gas mode.
In recent years, ZPMC has actively embraced the development of green, low-carbon intelligent vessels. Earlier this year, Xin Hai Xun was awarded the “Product Carbon Footprint Certificate” following a rigorous selection and evaluation process by authoritative bodies
