Recently, the Hamburg Express-class 23,660 TEU dual-fuel LNG-powered container ship “MV ROTTERDAM EXPRESS”, owned by Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd, successfully completed its emergency repair following sea damage at IMC-YY and departed ahead of schedule. The high-standard construction quality and efficient delivery earned high praise from the shipowner.
As one of the world’s largest and most energy-efficient LNG dual-fuel powered container ships, the “MV ROTTERDAM EXPRESS” is tasked with core route transportation for the “GEMINI” alliance, demanding strict adherence to sailing schedules. Shortly after its delivery in March of this year, during a voyage in August while piloting into berth 1 at Tanger Med Port, the ship was suddenly struck by strong winds and made contact with the breakwater. This incident resulted in a approximately 40-meter long rupture in the ship’s shell plate, affecting multiple ballast tanks. The repair needed to strictly follow newbuilding standards, and with a tight schedule allowing no time for rework, it presented multiple challenges for the construction team.
Facing the challenges of tight time, heavy tasks, and high technical requirements, IMC-YY quickly formed a specialized team to board the ship for on-site inspection, precise measurement, and repair plan design, ultimately determining a segmented prefabricated module solution. Before the ship even entered the yard, the team had high-quality completed the assembly, welding, and PSPC coating of 150 tons of steel structure modules, gaining a head start for subsequent work. Considering the特殊性 of LNG dual-fuel ships, along with issues like the confined space in the sea damage repair area and the difficulty of removing old steel plates and hoisting new segments, multiple departments including the company’s Safety & Eco-Environmental Department, the single-vessel project team, the Technology & Quality Department, and the production line collaborated closely. They held multiple safety production preparation and project planning meetings, tailoring comprehensive HSSE management plans, construction production plans, and contingency plans to ensure operational safety and efficient coordination among various trades. Although strong winds encountered after the ship’s docking caused psychological pressure for the shipowner, the project team and production line strictly followed the established plan and progressed orderly. Ultimately, they successfully completed the repair task 3 days ahead of schedule while ensuring production safety and quality.
The successful completion of this emergency sea damage repair not only demonstrates IMC-YY’s strong technical capabilities in green dual-fuel ship repair and efficient project management but also adds a significant achievement to the company’s high-quality development. Since initiating its high-quality green transformation strategy in 2013, IMC-YY has consistently been at the forefront of the industry: in 2017, it released a holistic solution for hull ultra-high pressure water vacuum jet pretreatment; in 2019, it hosted the world’s first International Forum on Green Transformation of Shiprepair Technology and a live demonstration of green ship repair; in 2024, it reached an “International Shiprepair Industry ESG System Construction and Digitalization Strategic Cooperation Agreement” with DNV, and in 2025, it released the “Shiprepair /Industry ESG System Construction and Evaluation Standard Guide” globally; it initiated and jointly established the Global Green Shipyard Alliance (GGSA) with renowned global shipyards in May 2025. This series of milestone initiatives not only bears witness to IMC-YY’s firm determination in deepening green ship repair and digital transformation but also provides a Chinese solution and contributes Chinese strength to the sustainable development of the ship repair /industry. In the future, IMC-YY will continue to leverage technological innovation as its core driving force, deepen international cooperation, improve the green and intelligent ship repair ecosystem, and strive to achieve further success in the fields of high-end ship repair and green shipping support services, helping the global shipping industry steadily move towards a more environmentally friendly, efficient, and intelligent direction.
