On September 8, the “Changping Yuan,” an 88,000 cubic meter Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC) newly built by Dalian Haineng under COSCO Shipping Energy, was named at COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (Qidong) and officially joined the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and chemical tanker fleet registered in Dalian Changxing Island. The vessel is China’s first newly built dual-fuel VLGC and also COSCO Shipping Group’s first dual-fuel VLGC independently designed and built and flying the five-star red flag.

Yu Zhenhong, Vice President of COSCO Shipping Energy and Chairman and Party Secretary of Dalian Haineng, named the new vessel.

The “Changping Yuan” has a length overall of about 230 meters, a moulded breadth of 32.25 meters, a moulded depth of 23.85 meters, and a scantling draught of 12.20 meters. It flies the five-star red flag and is classed by the China Classification Society (CCS) and Lloyd’s Register (LR). The vessel was developed by the Design and Research Institute of COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry in collaboration with the 708 Research Institute. It adopts a newly designed vertical bow profile and is equipped with four Type A independent liquid cargo tanks, China’s first 300 cubic meter deck tank, an energy-saving duct and a rudder bulb. It can carry nine types of liquefied gas cargoes, including liquid ammonia, giving it strong adaptability and broad market prospects.

Green, low-carbon performance and intelligent capabilities are two standout highlights of the vessel. It is equipped with an LPG dual-fuel main engine and a shaft generator, allowing unrestricted navigation within sulphur emission control areas. Compared with conventional fuel oil operation, the use of LPG fuel can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 20% and cut sulphur oxide and particulate matter emissions by about 90%, demonstrating notable low-carbon and environmental advantages.

At the same time, the vessel is China’s first VLGC to obtain CCS’s complete i-Ship (N,M,E,I) intelligent ship notations, covering four major systems: intelligent navigation, intelligent engine room, intelligent energy efficiency, and intelligent integrated platform. It can provide navigational decision support and energy-efficiency optimization recommendations, continuously reduce vessel energy consumption, and comprehensively improve operational efficiency.

After delivery, the “Changping Yuan” will mainly be deployed on core trade routes such as the Middle East–Far East and U.S. Gulf–Far East, providing global customers with efficient and reliable ocean transportation services.

The vessel breaks the long-standing overseas technological monopoly in the design and construction of VLGCs of the same class and lays a solid technical foundation for China’s future independent construction of large clean energy transport fleets.

In addition to the “Changping Yuan,” Dalian Haineng has three more sister ships of the same type under construction, which are expected to be delivered successively by the end of this year and in 2027.