On May 8, the first thousand-ton vessel on the Han River basin, the “E Qianjiang Cargo 888” dual-purpose cargo ship, constructed by Hubei Changze Shipbuilding Heavy Industry Co., Ltd., was successfully launched. The launch of this ship not only fills the gap in the manufacturing of thousand-ton cargo ships on the Han River but also marks the entry of Han River shipping into the “era of large ships.”
The “E Qianjiang Cargo 888” is the fifth vessel built by Changze Heavy Industry and will be delivered to Qianjiang Jiayi Shipping Co., Ltd. This ship is a dual-purpose deep-hold cargo vessel, meeting the needs of mechanized loading and unloading, and is designed as a rear-drive type based on the characteristics of the Han River waterway. It has a total length of 68 meters, a molded width of 13.8 meters, a navigational draft of 3.5 meters, and combines the functions of bulk and container transport, primarily used for the transportation of bulk cargo such as yellow sand, gravel, and coal.
He Jun, General Manager of Qianjiang Jiayi Shipping Co., Ltd., stated that he is very satisfied with the construction quality, speed, and loading capacity of the vessel, and all indicators are fully compatible with the needs of inland river shipping such as the Han River. The company will continue to cooperate with Changze Heavy Industry to update its vessels in the future.
Hubei Changze Shipbuilding Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. is currently the only shipbuilding enterprise on the Han River with a Class II, Category II shipbuilding qualification. Leveraging the locational advantages and comprehensive supporting facilities of Xiaohe Port, the company focuses on the research, development, and manufacturing of green and intelligent ships. Since the end of last year, the company’s orders have entered an “explosive period,” showing a booming trend of “production immediately leading to hot sales.”
The first phase of the Changze Heavy Industry project covers an area of 120 mu and has established full-process production facilities including CNC cutting, intelligent assembly, block manufacturing, and standardized slipways. It is equipped with advanced equipment such as laser CNC cutting machines and intelligent environmentally friendly painting lines, and has in-depth cooperation with Wuhan Institute of Shipbuilding Technology to jointly develop new energy medium and small-sized ships and standardized Han River ship types, breaking industry bottlenecks through technological innovation.
Currently, Changze Heavy Industry is constructing 9 vessels, including 5 thousand-ton fuel-powered dual-purpose cargo ships, 2 three-thousand-ton new energy vessels, and 2 engineering ships. Existing orders on hand are scheduled until the end of this year, with partner shipowners including Hubei Han River Shipping Affairs, Henan Nanyang Anda Logistics, and several other companies.
To ensure timely delivery with guaranteed quality and quantity, Changze Heavy Industry has optimized construction techniques, adopting block construction methods and modular, intelligent production, more than doubling shipbuilding efficiency.
At the same time, Changze Heavy Industry has launched its second-phase project, focusing on the planning and construction of production lines for cruise ships, yachts, and ship inspection and repair. It is expected to be completed and put into operation by the end of 2027. After the completion of the second phase, Changze Heavy Industry will form an integrated full-industry-chain layout covering ship dismantling, construction, inspection, repair, and shipping services, with an annual capacity to build 100 vessels of the 1,000-ton class, fully meeting the growth of Han River shipping and the interconnection needs of the Han-Xiang-Gui Grand Channel.
