Chinese LNG-powered inland boxship departs on maiden operational voyage

A new LNG-powered container vessel designed for operation on China's inland waterways departed on its maiden operational voyage on Sunday, February 9.

Jining Ganghang 9001 ("Jining Port and Shipping 9001") was built by Shandong Xinneng Shipbuilding, a joint venture formed by Chinese companies the Jining Energy Development Group and CIMC Enric.

Jining Ganghang 900 has an LOA of 90 metres, a beam of 16.56 metres, a depth of 5.4 metres, a deadweight of 5,000, and a capacity of 161 TEUs. The dimensions make the vessel one of the largest LNG-powered inland containerships in operation in the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal, though it is still low enough to safely pass underneath the bridges that line the vital route.

The two main engines and the generators all run on LNG supplied by a 30-cubic-metre fuel tank fitted at the stern while located near the bow are the wheelhouse and the accommodation block.

The main engines drive propellers to deliver a service speed of 6.4 knots and a range of 2,000 kilometres, allowing the vessel to sail along the entire length of the nearly 1,800-kilometre Beijing-Hangzhou Canal without refuelling.