Chinese yard begins construction on 14,000DWT multi-purpose carrier

China's Sanfu Shipbuilding has cut the first steel to be used in the construction of a new multi-purpose cargo vessel ordered by an undisclosed German shipowner.

Upon completion, the vessel will have an LOA of 159.75 metres, a beam of 22.8 metres, a draught of 11.55 metres, a draught of 8.30 metres, a deadweight of 14,000, and a speed of approximately 15.5 knots.

The vessel will be equipped with two cranes with a combined lifting capacity of 700 tons. It will boast two cargo holds, the larger of which will measure 89.25 metres long.

The holds will be suitable for a range of cargo types including offshore wind turbine components and other project cargo.

Design work on the vessel was undertaken by China State Shipbuilding Corporation subsidiary Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute (SDARI) in compliance with DNV class rules. It is being developed as a variant of an earlier SDARI-designed 12,500DWT ship.