On August 24, the dry dock and outfitting wharf at the factory site of CSSC Dalian Shipbuilding Shanhaiguan Shipbuilding Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. hummed with intense activity. "Current orders exceed 50 vessels, with production schedules already booked through the end of the 15th Five-Year Plan," said Yan Guangjun, the company's production director, noting that over 90% of these are high-value-added products like Aframax tankers and medium-sized container ships. Formerly known as Shanhaiguan Shipyard, the enterprise's core operations include ship repair, manufacturing, retrofitting, and dismantling. In contrast to its early focus on low-value-added bulk carriers, the company has now pivoted to target the essential global markets for liquid cargo transport and ocean-going container shipping, leaving the low-end segment behind entirely.
Yan noted that the Aframax tanker measures 249.8 metres in overall length, 44 metres in width, and 21 metres in depth, with a loading capacity of 115,000 tonnes, primarily designed to transport crude oil and refined products. The company currently holds orders for more than 40 such tankers, placing it among the global leaders in order volume. Delivering vessels ahead of schedule is key to cementing its reputation in the global market. By adopting a modular construction approach combined with a serial-parallel manufacturing model, the company has freed up capacity in the dry dock area, seamlessly integrating in-dock construction with underwater commissioning to significantly reduce build time.
During the construction phase, the entire vessel is broken down into over a hundred independent modules. These are fabricated simultaneously in indoor workshops where welding, piping, and electrical pre-installation occur before being transported to the dry dock for assembly, much like building with building blocks. Furthermore, the innovative serial-parallel model enables an uninterrupted transition between the hull assembly phase in the dock and the commissioning phase at the quayside. Once a vessel is launched, the next hull section enters the dock immediately, eliminating any idle time in the dock basin. This May, the company delivered an Aframax tanker to a Greek shipowner more than 160 days ahead of schedule.
The company's intelligent production upgrade projects are also advancing steadily. "Once operational, we will replace plasma cutting with laser cutting, improving precision and boosting efficiency by 1.5 times," Yan said. Workflow transitions between processes will also become more streamlined, further compressing the overall vessel construction timeline. "Our vessels boast an extremely high first-pass acceptance rate, which is a major reason overseas shipowners continue to place repeat and batch orders," Yan added. "All container ships currently under construction are from returning customers, and our solid reputation ensures a steady stream of loyal clients in the global competition."
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