World's first! Hudong-Zhonghua delivers the world's largest LNG-powered container ship

On September 22, the world's first 23,000 TEU dual-fuel powered ultra-large container ship, "CMA CGM JACQUES SAADE," built by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co., Ltd. and China Shipbuilding Industry Trading Co., Ltd., both subsidiaries of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited, for CMA CGM, was named and delivered at the Changxing Island shipyard in Shanghai.

The world's largest dual-fuel container ship showcases the R&D, design, and construction capabilities of China State Shipbuilding Corporation.

The dual-fuel powered container ship "CMA CGM JACQUES SAADE," hailed as a "star" ship type, has received widespread attention from the industry. The successful delivery of this vessel is a significant achievement in the high-quality development of China's shipbuilding industry, demonstrating the strong R&D, design, and construction capabilities of China State Shipbuilding Corporation as a world-class shipbuilding group. It marks China State Shipbuilding Corporation's successful transition from following to leading in the world's large container ship sector, writing a new chapter of glory for the Chinese shipbuilding industry.

The 23,000 TEU is currently the world's largest dual-fuel container ship type. A series of nine ships were designed and developed by the Seventh 08 Research Institute under China State Shipbuilding Corporation, with Hudong-Zhonghua and Jiangnan Shipyard, both under China State Shipbuilding Corporation, responsible for construction. China State Shipbuilding Corporation holds complete independent intellectual property rights, and the ships are classed by Bureau Veritas (BV). The "CMA CGM JACQUES SAADE" is the first of the nine ships, named after CMA CGM's founder Jacques Saadé, a highly symbolic gesture. Once operational, it will be deployed on the Asia-Europe route, becoming an important link in the Maritime Silk Road.

        The ship has an overall length of 399.9 meters, a width of 61.3 meters, a cargo hold depth of 33.5 meters, and a deck area of an astonishing 23,978 square meters, equivalent to 3.5 standard football fields, and over 60 meters longer than the current world's largest aircraft carrier. Its deadweight exceeds 220,000 tons, with a container capacity exceeding 23,000 TEU, capable of carrying 2,200 forty-foot refrigerated containers.

        Its length is equivalent to the combined length of 5.5 A380 passenger aircraft, and its deck area is equivalent to 3.5 standard football fields. The highest point is close to the height of a 26-story building. To meet the huge container loading capacity, Hudong-Zhonghua developed and manufactured the most advanced lashing bridge in the container ship industry today, with as many as 21 types. The maximum stacking height is 24 layers, equivalent to the height of a 22-story building, making it a true maritime "giant."

       The ship integrates a series of intelligent and secure automated control systems, including a one-person bridge, unmanned engine room, anti-heeling automatic balance, a ship-wide closed-circuit television monitoring system, and an automatic detection and alarm system. It can withstand 10-grade winds and can be easily operated by only 26 crew members. According to current world-advanced design standards, it can withstand 10-grade winds while sailing.

It is worth mentioning that, based on the characteristics of the route, after the optimization of the hull lines with multiple drafts and speeds, combined with high-efficiency energy-saving devices, the optimal operational economy is achieved. To reduce environmental pollution and avoid ecological damage, the ship uses the WinGD low-speed dual-fuel engine W12X92DF, independently developed and manufactured by WinGD Engine Co., Ltd. (WinGD), a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, which has the largest installed power in the world. Whether sailing in the open sea or in coastal waters, it can rely on LNG to provide power.

The world's first dual-fuel powered ultra-large container ship leads the future development of the shipping industry.

     "CMA CGM JACQUES SAADE" is not only the world's largest container ship but also the first ultra-large container ship to introduce a dual-fuel propulsion system, meeting the world's strictest emission standards. It is considered a landmark project leading the future development of the shipping industry. The ship uses GTT MARK Ⅲ membrane-type fuel tanks, which can hold over 18,000 cubic meters of LNG fuel, providing "green power" for the vessel. To highlight this major global innovation, the hull uses a special paint scheme, and its "LNG POWERED" logo clearly distinguishes it from other vessels.

The ship uses membrane-type fuel tanks. Unlike conventional fuel tanks, structural reinforcement cannot be done inside the tanks. When the LNG tank is full, the deformation of the tank wall can make it difficult to lift containers in adjacent cargo holds. After multiple rounds of discussions, the design team innovatively designed a new type of container guide rail to ensure normal container lifting under any loading conditions. Cargo hold fires on container ships occur frequently, and current conventional fire extinguishing methods sometimes cannot effectively control the fire. After thorough discussions among various parties, the design team developed a new cargo hold water flooding fire extinguishing system based on the existing conventional CO2 and sprinkler fire extinguishing methods, adding a new fire extinguishing system to ensure the normal operation of the vessel.

During navigation, a safe and reliable gas supply system operates comprehensively, outputting, gasifying, and regulating LNG to provide sufficient power for the main engine and generator combustion. 18,600 cubic meters of LNG converted into power can ensure that the 23,000 TEU dual-fuel container ship can sail over 20,000 nautical miles, easily covering a round trip from Europe to the Far East, almost equivalent to circumnavigating the earth along the equator. The use of an LNG-based dual-fuel propulsion system on ultra-large container ships is a global first. Its greatest advantage is that it can meet the world's strictest emission standards. Compared with traditional fuel container ships, it can reduce carbon emissions by 20%, nitrogen oxides by 85%, and sulfur emissions by 99%, significantly reducing environmental pollution.

Hudong-Zhonghua is the only enterprise in the shipbuilding industry to receive the China Industrial Award and the only large-scale LNG offshore storage and transportation equipment manufacturer in China. Only Hudong-Zhonghua in China is capable of building such a "super project" as the MARK III membrane-type fuel tank. The welding length of the stainless steel corrugated plate of this type of containment system reaches 9 kilometers, and there cannot be a single leak point during welding. In the secondary shielding leak tightness test of this type of containment system, Hudong-Zhonghua achieved the "zero leak point," representing the world's highest level, and the construction quality was highly praised by the ship owner.

      Chen Jianliang, Party Secretary and Chairman of Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., said: "Today is a day that will be recorded in the annals of shipbuilding history. Since the signing of the contract, this ship has attracted the attention of the international shipping and shipbuilding industries. Its high-end, intelligent, and green features represent the highest standards and development trends of the shipbuilding industry today. Its successful delivery marks our historic leap from 'Made in China' to 'Created in China.'"

CMA CGM's new flagship, a tribute to founder Jacques Saadé.

On September 19, 2017, China State Shipbuilding Corporation and CMA CGM signed a contract for the construction of nine 23,000 TEU ultra-large container ships. The "CMA CGM JACQUES SAADE" is the first ship in this project, and eight sister ships are being built by Hudong-Zhonghua and Jiangnan Shipyard (Group) Co., Ltd., both subsidiaries of China State Shipbuilding Corporation.

CMA CGM's nine LNG-powered ultra-large container ships incorporate numerous innovations, representing seven years of collaborative R&D between CMA CGM's R&D experts and industry partners. Beyond LNG propulsion, the series features advanced technologies such as a bridge equipped with the latest embedded digital technology to assist the captain and crew, particularly in port operations; a redesigned bulbous bow seamlessly integrated with a straight stem, redesigned rudder, and redesigned propeller—all significantly improving the vessel's hydrodynamic performance and reducing energy consumption.

The nine new vessels will be registered with the French International Register (FIR) and named after Parisian landmarks and other prominent places and institutions (Champs-Élysées, Palais Royal, Louvre Museum, Rue de Rivoli, Montmartre, Place de la Concorde, Trocadéro Gardens, and Sorbonne University). CMA CGM has chosen TotalEnergies as one of its main industrial partners to supply LNG fuel for its LNG-powered vessels, making CMA CGM a proponent of building a truly high-quality LNG industry for maritime transport.

CMA CGM considers the CMA CGM Jacques Saade its flagship, named after the group's founder, praising its high-quality delivery as ushering in a new era in international shipbuilding and a vivid demonstration of enduring friendship and cooperation between China and France.

From design to operation, the CMA CGM Jacques Saade has benefited from the expertise and know-how of leading French, European, and global industry players. Several specialized companies played a role in this landmark project, including BIO-UV Group (BIO-SEA ballast water treatment system), Cryostar (LNG pumps), Bureau Veritas (certification), BLM (winches and windlasses), GTT (LNG tank design), Schneider Electric (switchboards), Sperry Marine (radio navigation and platform equipment), TotalEnergies and the Port of Rotterdam (LNG bunkering), Wärtsilä (processing and auxiliary systems), and WinGD (main engine design).

  Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of CMA CGM, stated: “The CMA CGM Jacques Saade embodies our commitment to the planet. It incorporates the latest technologies and is the result of seven years of collaborative R&D. While ensuring the safety of all crew members, it also protects air quality and will be part of our fight against global warming. It significantly improves the carbon footprint of goods transport. We have taken a major step forward in our energy transition. We still need to further build more environmentally responsible modes of transport.”

The CMA CGM Jacques Saade will begin its maiden voyage on September 23rd on the Asia-Europe Line (FAL), CMA CGM's flagship route between Asia and Northern Europe. It will call at major ports including Busan (South Korea); Tianjin, Ningbo, Shanghai, and Yantian (China); Singapore; Southampton, Dunkirk, Hamburg, Rotterdam, and Algeciras (Europe); and Port Klang (Malaysia). This route offers weekly service with 13 calls over an 84-day journey.