VESSEL REVIEW | Haixun 041 – Large spill response boat for China Maritime Safety Administration

The China Maritime Safety Administration (CMSA) recently took delivery of a new large oil spill response vessel built locally by the Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group.

Long endurance for sustained response operations

Classed by China Classification Society, Haixun 041 (海巡041) is one of the largest oil spill response vessels in Chinese government service. The newbuild has an LOA of 79 metres (260 feet), a beam of 15 metres (49 feet), a draught of four metres (13 feet), a depth of 5.6 metres (18 feet), and a gross tonnage of 2,723.

An all-electric propulsion setup consisting of diesel generators with a total installed power of 4,000 kW can deliver a service speed of just over 15 knots and a range of 3,000 nautical miles. Alternatively, the vessel can stay out at sea for 20 days.

Also outfitted for command and control

The spill response equipment includes a 1,100-cubic-metre (39,000-cubic-foot) tank for storing recovered oil and a cleanup system that can recover oil at a rate of 200 cubic metres (7,000 cubic feet) per hour.

The open aft deck can meanwhile be used to transport additional spill response equipment as well as a fast rescue boat.

The vessel is also fitted with advanced communication and information sharing systems. These will enable it to function as a command and control platform, particularly during large-scale emergency response operations involving multiple assets.

Haixun 041 will be operated in the Bohai Sea out of the CMSA's Hebei branch.