ZHAOQING, China, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) — The “Zhaoqing Port Deqing Port Area Xijiang Energy Hub Center Waterborne Green Comprehensive Service Area,” invested and constructed by Guangdong Energy Group Natural Gas Co., Ltd., was officially put into operation on the 10th, aiming to better serve the national development strategy of the Pearl River-Xijiang River Economic Belt and comprehensively enhance the service capacity and level of ships and ports.
This waterborne green comprehensive service area, integrating ship services, crew services, and government and emergency support services, is the first of its kind in South China to supply LNG clean energy.
It is understood that the Zhaoqing Maritime Safety Administration promoted the trial operation of LNG bunkering operations in the service area, guided services such as ship pollutant reception and /power supply, provided suggestions for the functional layout of the service area, and collaborated with departments like the Zhaoqing Transportation and Urban Management to promote the construction of other functions in the service area, helping to build a green, safe, and efficient waterborne service area.
The service area is equipped with two 100-cubic-meter independent Type C LNG storage tanks, with an annual bunkering capacity of 15,000 tons, capable of meeting the LNG demand of approximately 3,000 voyages by 3,000-tonnage cargo ships. The service area obtained the “Gas Business License” on July 30, 2025, and can provide ships with liquefied natural gas that is colorless, non-toxic, odorless, and emits virtually no sulfur oxides, while also significantly reducing nitrogen oxide and particulate matter emissions.
The service area also independently designed and built ship pollutant reception functions, providing free pollutant reception services for customer vessels. Domestic sewage and oily water from ships are received, stored, and treated onshore, with the reception point located on the pontoon, solving issues such as the large water level fluctuation of the Xijiang River and the difficulty of reception. It also introduces third-party ship pollutant recycling agencies to further transport waste like oil sludge.
To further bring a more efficient and convenient work and life experience to crew members, the service area features a 150-square-meter convenience store, a 24-hour crew station, a government service point, and provides public services such as emergency medical kits and parcel receipt. It offers comprehensive and refined services for crew members, including life supplies, leisure and entertainment, emergency medical care, express logistics, and policy consultation.
Moving forward, the Zhaoqing Maritime Safety Administration will strengthen navigation supervision in the waters around the service area to ensure the safety of ship berthing and navigation. At the same time, it will closely cooperate with departments such as Zhaoqing’s transportation and urban management to form synergies, further optimize service content and management models, improve the overall efficiency and service quality of the service area, and jointly help promote the improvement of functions like logistics transfer, storage, and smart express services in the service area, providing more convenient and comfortable services for passing ships and crew members, and enhancing their quality of life and work efficiency. (End)
