China Merchants Heavy Industry News

Subsea cable services company Asso.subsea has ordered a next-generation trenching support vessel (TSV) from China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) Shenzhen Shipyard, scheduled for delivery at the end of 2027.The vessel, named Avra, is the second new building vessel announced in just a few months by Asso.subsea, following the recent revealing of its newest cable laying vessel (CLV) Althea, underscoring a period of significant strategic investment and fleet expansion for the company.Avra…

SunStone Maritime Group A/S, touted as the world’s largest tonnage provider to the expedition cruise industry, announced the delivery of the seventh and final vessel in this first series of newbuilds, the Douglas Mawson. The delivery took place at China Merchants Heavy Industry in Haimen, China, on September 9, 2025.Named after Sir Douglas Mawson, the Australian geologist and Antarctic explorer whose work was central to the study of the polar regions, it is the third Infinity vessel to go to Aurora Expeditions…

Lighting company Glamox has won contracts to light four additional Aurora Class vessels, owned and operated by Höegh Autoliners.This latest order follows a contract in October 2022 to provide marine LED lighting for the first eight Aurora Class vessels.Each pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) is designed to carry 9,100 cars. These new multi-fuel vessels can operate on ammonia. They have specially strengthened decks and enhanced internal ramp systems to enable them to transport electric…

Finland-based Valmet has booked an order for a marine methanol fuel automation control system for two cable-laying vessels (CLVs) being built for Jan de Nul in China.The vessels will be built in the China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) shipyard for Jan De Nul, a company providing engineering solutions in maritime and offshore energy infrastructure and construction projects.The value of the order will not be disclosed.“Valmet has experience in green fuel supply system control.

Subsea cable services company Asso.subsea has introduced the Marine Technology Business Unit, a strategic initiative dedicated to shipbuilding, innovation and sustainability in offshore energy.The new unit marks a significant milestone in the company’s long-term shipbuilding and fleet expansion plans, reinforcing its commitment to delivering cutting-edge marine solutions tailored to the evolving needs of subsea operations.The launch of the unit is officially inaugurated with the signing of the first shipbuilding contract for the Althea…

SunStone Maritime Group has launched its latest expedition cruise vessel, Douglas Mawson, at China Merchants Heavy Industry.With a capacity up to 170 passengers and 102 crew, the vessel features advanced safety systems, energy-efficient operations and eco-friendly technologies designed to minimize environmental impact.Built with Ulstein’s revolutionary X-Bow® design, the vessel is IceClass 1A and Polar Class 6, ensuring safe and efficient operations in some of the world’s most challenging environments.

As part of its LNG growth strategy, Swiss-based MET Group has reached a partnership agreement with Celsius to build its first LNG vessel, scheduled for delivery in 2027.The LNG carrier will be constructed by China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) and will support the growing LNG activities of MET Group.MET’s JV equity partner Celsius is a leading ship owner and operator focusing on sustainable, infrastructure-like investments and special opportunities within the maritime industry.The…

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has secured an order to supply cargo access equipment for 12 CIDO Shipping's Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs), with an option for eight additional vesselsThe vessels will be built at China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) (CMHI) for CIDO Shipping.The scope of the contract includes the design and key components for quarter ramps, side ramps, internal ramps, covers, and liftable car decks including installation assistance.The deliveries are planned…

The lead ship of Höegh Autoliners' Aurora class, Höegh Aurora, was delivered at a naming ceremony at China Merchants Heavy Industry’s (CMHI) shipyard in Jiangsu, China, on Tuesday.The newbuild is the first of 12 Aurora Class vessels being built by CMHI. Featuring 14 decks—including five liftable decks—the ship can carry up to 9,100 CEU, making it the world's largest pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) vessel. With enhanced decks and ramps, the vessel is designed to carry electric vehicles on all decks…

Höegh Autoliners' Höegh Aurora, the world's largest pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) vessel, will soon embark on its maiden voyage and commence commercial operations following delivery at a naming ceremony next week.The newbuild is the first of 12 Aurora Class vessels being built by China Merchants Heavy Industry, in China. Featuring 14 decks—including five liftable decks—the ship can carry up to 9,100 CEU. With enhanced decks and ramps, the vessel is designed to carry electric vehicles on all decks…

Being built by China Merchants Heavy Industry Haimen (CMHI) for Jan De Nul Group and scheduled for delivery in 2026, the Fleeming Jenkin is touted to become the world's largest Cable-Laying Vessel (CLV). Main propulsion for the Fleeming Jenkin will come from four Steerprop azimuth thrusters, enhanced by three tunnel thrusters and two retractable. An additional full main thruster and extensive spares package will also be supplied as part of the contract with Steerprop. In addition to the Fleeming Jenkin…

French engineering company GTT has received an order from Chinese shipyard for the tank design of a new LNG carrier being built for Danish shipowner.The order was placed by China Merchants Heavy Industry-Jiangsu shipyard for the LNG carrier being built for Celsius.GTT will design the tanks of this vessel, which will offer a total cargo capacity of 180,000 m3 and will be fitted with the Mark III Flex membrane containment system, developed by the French company.Delivery is scheduled for the third quarter of 2027.

SunStone Maritime Group announced it has secured multi-year charters for two of its expedition cruise ships.The deals are for SunStone's Infinity Class vessels Ocean Explorer and the Ocean Odyssey, both built by China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) and delivered in 2021 and 2022 respectively.Under its new charter agreement, Ocean Explorer will return to polar cruising in October 2024 for SunStone's long-term client Quark Expeditions. The vessel, which ran aground in a remote part of Greenland last year…

Fuel flexibility may be a key driver for recent developments in gensets, but the perennial goals of lowering CapEx and OpEx remain.Fuel flexibility is one of the pillars of decarbonization that is being embraced by genset OEMs. Fuel efficiency, a second pillar, goes hand in hand with that because new fuels will be more expensive, but these concerns come in addition to the on-going drive to reduce CapEx and OpEx for shipowners.MAN Energy Solutions introduced its auxiliary MAN 35/44DF CD engine in June 2023. It is designed to be future-proof and will be ready for methanol operation by 2026.

China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES), the Shanghai-listed shipping giant and daughter company of China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI), has ordered an MAN B&W 7G80ME-LGIM (-Liquid Gas Injection Methanol) main engine in connection with the construction of a very large crude carrier (VLCC). The first such dual-fuel methanol order for the ship type, Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co (DSIC) will construct the vessel with delivery due by April 2026.CSE (China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation Diesel Engine Co.…

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has been chosen to deliver RoRo equipment for two of the world's first methanol-fueled Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTC) for China Merchant Energy Shipping to be built at China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. in China.The vessels are to be delivered to the owner between the third and fourth quarters of 2025.MacGregor´s scope of supply is to design and deliver the key components consisting of external and internal ramps, covers, electrically operated doors…

China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) has ordered six small-bore, seven-cylinder 21/31DF-M, methanol-burning gensets in connection with the construction of 2 × 9,300 ceu (car equivalent units) PCTCs for China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES).The business represents the very first order for the new methanol-powered, MAN four-stroke genset. MAN Energy Solutions’ licensee, CMP, will build the engines in China with first delivery due in Q1, 2025.The 3 × 7L21/31DF-M gensets aboard…

Subsea 7's recently delivered Seaway Alfa Lift offshore wind foundation installation vessel is in transit to Europe and is expected to join Subsea 7's fleet in the third quarter of 2023.The semi-submersible heavy installation vessel, designed by Ulstein, will be used to install the next-generation XXL offshore wind foundations.The newbuild heavy lift crane vessel Seaway Alfa Lift (CMHI-207), was originally ordered in 2018 by OHT on speculation. OHT eventually became part of Subsea…

Shipowner Celsius Tankers announced it has ordered four new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers from shipbuilder China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) (CMHI) for scheduled delivery in 2026 and 2027.Celsius has formed a joint venture with an affiliate of ArcLight Capital Partners (ArcLight), a middle-market infrastructure investor, to fund two of the LNG carriers. Commodities trading house Gunvor Group Ltd will have a significant equity interest in the other two newbuildings, the first for any independent LNG trading company, demonstrating the strength of Gunvor's global position in the LNG market. All four vessels will enter long…

Norwegian shipping company Höegh Autoliners announced on Monday that it has exercised its option to construct four additional multi-fuel and net zero carbon ready Aurora class car carrier vessels at China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd (CMHI) in Haimen.This brings the number of total vessels under the newbuilding program to 12 vessels, all of which will be built by CMHI. Höegh Autoliners has an option to build another four vessels (vessels 13-16), as well as slot reservations for additional four vessels (vessels 17-20).

A keel-laying ceremony was held earlier this week for Seaway 7’s new offshore wind turbine installation vessel Seaway Ventus.The ceremony was held on Monday, June 6, at the China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) Haimen facility, Nantong.The GustoMSC NG-14000XL-G jack-up vessel was originally ordered by OHT, with which Seaway 7 merged in 2021."This is a very important and satisfying milestone for the Seaway Ventus construction project, marking the period where all the fabricated…

China Merchants Heavy Industry has ordered two MAN B&W 7S60ME-LGIM (-Liquid Gas Injection Methanol) engines in connection with the construction of two 9,300 ceu (car equivalent units) PCTCs for China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES).The order is the first order globally for the S60ME-LGIM variant, the first methanol-fuelled engine for a PCTC, and the first Chinese-built methanol engine.Engine manufacturer, CSE, will construct the engines in China with respective vessel delivery set for 2025 and 2026; the order also contains an option for an additional four vessels.

China is making fast inroads in the market for newbuild liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers as local and foreign shipowners turn to its shipbuilders for the specialty vessels because long dominant yards in South Korea are fully booked. Three Chinese shipyards - only one of them having experience building large LNG tankers - won nearly 30% of this year's record orders for 163 new gas carriers, claiming ground in a sector where South Korea usually captures most of the business.