On May 6, the 8th 154,000-ton shuttle tanker “JANEIRO KNUTSEN” built by COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (Zhoushan) for Norway’s KNOT company was signed and delivered, marking another fruitful result of the 14-year friendly cooperation between the two sides.
The “JANEIRO KNUTSEN” is a new-generation 154,000-ton shuttle tanker independently developed and designed by COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry. The vessel has an overall length of 279 meters, a beam of 48 meters, a depth of 23.8 meters, a design draft of 16 meters, and is classed by DNV of Norway. Previously, seven sister ships have been delivered and put into global operation, and their excellent operational performance has laid a solid foundation for the continued cooperation between the two parties.
Green and intelligent features have become the core competitiveness. The vessel embodies an integrated design of green and intelligent elements. It is equipped with an advanced DP2 (Class 2) dynamic positioning system and a bow loading system to accommodate complex offshore crude oil loading and unloading operations. Its Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) meets the highest Phase 3 standards of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Crucially, the vessel innovatively adopts a power scheme combining a medium-voltage closed bus with variable frequency drive thrusters, effectively optimizing power plant management and reducing operational energy consumption, highlighting its technological advancement.
Lean and intelligent manufacturing ensures excellent quality. This series of vessels has achieved full-process independent control from R&D and design to construction. During construction, the company extensively applied digital design and modular construction. The project team implemented lean measures such as modularizing lifting padeyes and scaffolding, saving over 600 lifting lugs and more than 8,000 pieces of scaffolding materials. This improved efficiency while ensuring construction quality, earning high recognition from the shipowner and the classification society.
Continuous orders attest to market credibility. The cooperation between COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (Zhoushan) and Norway’s KNOT company began in 2012. From the pioneering development of the first vessel to the smooth delivery of the eighth, the cooperation between the two sides has deepened through each timely and high-quality delivery. Based on the excellent operational record of the delivered vessels, KNOT has continued to demonstrate trust, signing another order for a sister ship in March 2026, bringing the total cumulative orders between the two parties to 14. This series of orders is the most direct affirmation of its construction capability and commercial reputation in the international market.
The smooth delivery of the “JANEIRO KNUTSEN” not only consolidates COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (Zhoushan)’s global leading position in the high-end shuttle tanker sector but also provides a vivid illustration of the transformation and upgrading of China’s shipbuilding industry towards high-end, green, and intelligent development.
