CIMC Blue Water, a subsidiary of CIMC Enric Holdings, has delivered a batch of 29 LNG conversion vessels to its customer Zhuhai Port Shipping Company, a subsidiary of Zhuhai Port Holdings Group, according to Offshore Energy.
This is the largest delivery of a single batch of oil-to-gas converted vessels in China, and according to CIMC Enric, an important achievement in the “Gasification of the Pearl River” project undertaken by the company in Guangdong Province.
The company plans to deliver an additional 15 vessels to customers in early 2023.
The plan targets upgrading the green level of equipment and facilities to reduce shipping pollution and intends to deliver the first batch of 50 new LNG single-fuel-powered ships and 300 oil-to-gas vessel conversion tasks.
Additionally, in September 2022, five national ministries jointly issued the “Implementation Opinions on Accelerating Green and Intelligent Development of Inland Waterway Vessels.”
The statement requires the increase of green-powered vessels such as LNG, battery, methanol, and hydrogen fuel to achieve demonstration applications in the Yangtze River, Pearl River, Beijing-Hangzhou Canal, and Minjiang River basins, significantly reduce pollution emissions from inland waterway vessels, and form a new modal of green and intelligent operation and development for inland waterway vessels that is replicable, promotable, and sustainable.
As of the end of 2022, CIMC Enric had completed the conversion of 78 vessels, including the batch delivery of 29 vessels for Zhuhai Port Group.
The company said it is committed to promoting clean energy in the inland waterway through its oil-to-gas vessel conversion business, which includes providing a comprehensive solution covering LNG-powered vessels, bunkering stations, LNG-related equipment, LNG receiving stations and LNG supply assurance, along with their LNG fuel tank replacement demonstration solution for vessels.
According to it, by 2025, Guangdong will have converted 1,500 natural gas vessels for inland waterway shipping.