Chinese Companies Provide Aid! World's Largest “Super Shipyard” Fully Completed

On December 29, 2025, China Electric Power Construction Corporation (Shandong) formally received the Mechanical Completion Acceptance Notice issued by Saudi Aramco, marking the successful achievement of overall mechanical completion for the King Salman International Integrated Port Facility Project in Saudi Arabia (referred to as the “King Salman Port Project”). This global super shipyard, central to Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, has been fully handed over to the owner and entered the warranty period, adding a significant milestone to the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia.

Personally inaugurated and named by King Salman, the King Salman Port Project stands as a cornerstone initiative for Saudi Arabia's economic diversification under Vision 2030. The project sets multiple world records: spanning 11.25 square kilometers, it is the largest super shipyard globally; its giant gantry crane boasts a net lifting height of 113.5 meters, ranking first in the world for lifting capacity; Its combined lifting capacity of 2,100 tons ranks among the world's highest; its ship lift system boasts a lifting capacity of 25,000 tons, the largest globally for its type; and its 7-kilometer-long wharf sets a new record for the world's longest wharf.

Since project commencement in 2019, Shandong Electric Power Construction Corporation, as the core EPC contractor, has completed construction of 277 structures (facilities), installation of 146 modular substations, 1,366 pieces of equipment, excavated 8.905 million cubic meters of earth, poured 2.17 million cubic meters of concrete, installed 57,000 tons of steel structures, laid 140,000 meters of non-pressure pipelines, and installed 10,476 kilometers of cables and fiber optics. Project safety and quality management consistently maintained high standards, achieving a cumulative 147 million safe working hours with a first-time acceptance rate of 99.8%. The PQI index remained above Saudi Aramco standards throughout.

Beginning in Q4 2025, the project entered its critical completion phase, with key milestones rapidly achieved and frequent successes reported: On November 5, 487 JV equipment units—including core production assets such as giant gantry cranes and CNC machining equipment—achieved mechanical completion ahead of schedule; On November 20, P6 Section, responsible for drilling platform manufacturing and kinetic energy support, achieved mechanical completion 40 days ahead of schedule, closing 93,639 outstanding items (YES items) and setting a record of closing over 1,000 items in a single week; On November 25, the onshore portion of P5 Section achieved mechanical completion, with the core manufacturing area ZONE C meeting full-chain shipbuilding operational conditions; On December 14, the world's largest ship lift successfully completed commissioning and was handed over; On December 16, all YES items for P4 and P5 sections were cleared, achieving mechanical completion.

Motaz A. Al-Mashouk, Senior Vice President of Saudi Aramco, recently stated in an exclusive interview with People's Daily: "We take great pride in the full completion of the King Abdullah Port project. Chinese enterprises, represented by Shandong Power Construction Corporation (SPCC), have played an irreplaceable and pivotal role in this historic project."

As a pioneer in the global energy infrastructure sector, SPCC has consistently taken serving China's Belt and Road Initiative as its mission, writing a new chapter in China-Saudi Arabia practical cooperation through high-standard contract fulfillment. Moving forward, under the strategic guidance of China Energy Engineering Group, Shandong Power Construction will continue leveraging its integrated full-industry-chain strengths to fully advance overall commissioning support and warranty services for the King Abdullah Port project, actively contributing to its operations. Simultaneously, the company will deepen high-quality Belt and Road cooperation practices, deliver more benchmark projects, and contribute solid power construction strength to advancing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

It is understood that the Saudi King Abdullah Port project is located in the Ras Al-Khair Industrial Zone, 180 kilometers north of Dammam—Saudi Arabia's third-largest city—along the Persian Gulf coast in eastern Saudi Arabia. The project is jointly owned by Saudi Aramco and IMI International Ports. Construction commenced in December 2019 and includes the development of: one offshore dock, two offshore slipways, one 5,000-ton ship lift, five dry docks, five jetties, and ten wharves. With a total wharf length of 4,100 meters, the completed facility will become the world's largest shipbuilding and repair base, capable of undertaking construction, maintenance, and upgrade services for various vessels including VLCCs and offshore platforms.

In 2017, Saudi Aramco established the joint venture shipyard IMI with South Korea's largest shipbuilder HD Hyundai Group, Saudi National Shipping Company (Bahri), and Lamprell, the Gulf region's largest drilling rig constructor. HD Hyundai holds a 10% stake in IMI, Saudi Aramco holds 50.1%, Bahri holds 19.9%, and Lamprell holds 20%.

According to IMI's official website, the shipyard is the largest full-service facility in the Middle East and North Africa region, providing newbuild and MRO (maintenance, repair, overhaul) services for commercial vessels including VLCCs, bulk carriers, offshore support vessels (OSVs), and jack-up drilling rigs. Its infrastructure incorporates cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, biometrics, and the Internet of Things, delivering advanced digital-age capabilities to clients.

Upon full operation, IMI will have the capacity to construct 4-6 jack-up drilling rigs, 25 OSVs, and 18 commercial vessels annually—including chemical tankers, bulk carriers, product tankers, and VLCCs—while maintaining up to 250 vessels across all vessel types. This project is projected to contribute $17 billion to Saudi Arabia's GDP, replace $12 billion in imports, and create 80,000 jobs, significantly advancing the Kingdom's vision of “National Oil, National Shipping; National Ships, National Construction.”

Last year, Bahri formally signed an agreement with IMI Shipyard to order six 62,823-deadweight-ton Ultramax bulk carriers, with delivery scheduled between 2028 and 2029. These vessels will mark the first merchant ships constructed by IMI Shipyard.