Sea trials completed for new Chinese-built heavy lift ship

China's Taizhou Zhonghang Shipyard has completed conducting sea trials of a new semi-submersible heavy lift vessel ordered by local shipowner Jiangsu Fanzhou Shipping.

The 256- by 51-metre Fan Zhou 8 was designed and built in compliance with China Classification Society rules as well as EU and Hong Kong Convention requirements. The large open deck has a total area of 11,700 square metres and can transport up to 58,000 tonnes of cargo such as offshore wind turbine components, offshore oil and gas platform components, and nuclear power generation equipment.

The ship's propulsion arrangement includes two 8,340kW main engines and two bow thrusters. The trials showed that the main engines can deliver a top speed in excess of 15 knots.

The vessel is also capable of autonomous navigation and operating in areas with mild to moderate surface ice, making it ideal for deployment in polar regions. A range of 16,000 nautical miles will permit use on global routes.