On August 6, Jiangnan Shipbuilding’s No. 4 dock welcomed the fourth batch of undockings for the year, with two complete ships undocking and two half-ships floating out.
This batch of undockings was affected by consecutive days of severe weather, including high temperatures and typhoons, which impacted critical outdoor operations such as open-air welding and outer plate painting to varying degrees. Thanks to the construction team’s thorough preparation in advance and proactive contingency management for adverse weather, risks were minimized, ensuring the undocking schedule was met as planned.
Jiangnan Shipbuilding undocked the final 1.5-version 98,000 cubic meter VLEC (H2649) built for Pacific Gas Carrier. Building on the experience of previous vessels, the deck area achieved full power-on, the bow pump room outfitting was cleared, and the chain stopper installation in the dock progressed steadily, ensuring rapid post-undocking weight tests. The cargo tank area achieved epoxy clearance, and the engine room area achieved painting clearance, facilitating quick mooring trials during the pier phase.
Jiangnan Shipbuilding also undocked the second 9,000-car LNG dual-fuel ocean-going car carrier (H2677) built for Anji Logistics Co., Ltd. This vessel was already the best-performing in the 9,000-car series during its half-ship float-out, marking the first time the main engine was installed before floating, the propeller shaft installation was completed, and the structure below the fifth deck was fully intact. After floating, the construction team continued improvements, drawing on previous experience to fully optimize construction processes. The undocking achieved structural clearance and deck flame straightening across the entire ship. Thin plate deformation control was further enhanced, with flatness approaching excellent, transforming the dock cycle from a challenging phase to a smooth operation.
On the same day, Jiangnan Shipbuilding floated out the first 2.0-version 99,000 cubic meter VLEC half-ship built for Pacific Gas Carrier. Within 28 days of docking, the ship achieved alignment and optical testing, and within 42 days, the engine room was sealed. Through version upgrades, 186 design optimizations were implemented, including replacing tail tube boring with epoxy pouring, reducing shaft installation time from 15 to 10 days. Design and process improvements also allowed the first-time use of epoxy pouring instead of shims between generators and foundations, completing the engine room stern formation in just 7 days. The rudder blade was installed before floating, concluding the continuous installation of the shaft and rudder system.
Jiangnan Shipbuilding also floated out a 99,000 cubic meter VLEC half-ship built for Southwest Shipping. This vessel achieved a “new floating-state breakthrough,” setting the best floating condition for a VLEC half-ship. Alignment and optical testing were completed within 27 days of docking, and in addition to achieving the “123” target (one engine room sealed, two liquid tanks, and three unit liftings), it also completed the lifting of the 80B and 90A sections and the rudder blade, establishing a new standard for VLEC half-ship float-outs. Additionally, the No. 2 cargo tank painting was finished before floating, facilitating rapid post-float installation of the No. 2 liquid tank.
