On March 30th, Shanghai SC-Stolt Shipping Co., Ltd. and Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group Co., Ltd (“WS”) held a signing ceremony for the construction contract of two 9,200-DWT stainless steel chemical tankers in Wuhan.
During the signing ceremony, Ms. Si Liang, Chairwoman of Shanghai SC-Stolt Shipping, and Mr. Li Tao, Business Department Director of Wuchang Shipbuilding, signed the construction contract on behalf of both parties.
Witnessing the signing ceremony were Mr. Qu Minwei, General Manager of Stolt-Nielsen Transportation (Shanghai) Ltd., Mr. Liu Renjie, Director of the Supervision Department at Shanghai SC Shipping Co., Ltd., Ms. Yu Jing, Senior Manager at Shanghai Gentco Logistics, Mr. Xie Shaolong and Mr. Zhao Qiang, Charting Managers at Shanghai SC-Stolt Shipping Co., Ltd., Mr. Du Haigen, Deputy General Manager at China Classification Society Wuhan Branch, Mr. Chen Hao, Director of the Shanghai Rules & Research Institute at China Classification Society, Mr. Liang Zongqing, General Manager of Shanghai Odely Marine Engineering Co., Ltd., and Mr. Jiang Tao, Party Committee Secretary and Chairman of Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group Co., Ltd.
During the signing ceremony, Chairman Jiang Tao expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Shanghai SC Shipping for their long-standing recognition, trust, and support. He also stated that the signing of the contract marks only the beginning of fulfilling their responsibilities. Moving forward, WS will draw on its comprehensive experience in the design, construction, and management of stainless steel chemical tankers. They will concentrate on leadership responsibilities, organizational structure, team formation, and resource allocation, while stringently adhering to bidding commitments and contract execution. Embracing the "100+1" and "full life cycle service" quality philosophies, WS will work closely with shipowners, design institutes, and other stakeholders to ensure efficient production planning and strict quality control. Their ultimate aim is to deliver two top-tier, durable, and practical tankers to Shanghai SC-Stolt Shipping at the earliest possible opportunity, as a gesture of gratitude for their unwavering support and trust.
Ms. Si Liang also spoke at the ceremony, noting that despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, they have persisted in overcoming them. Shanghai SC-Stolt Shipping successfully delivered both the No.1 and No.2 chemical tankers with 7,200 DWT during the most severe stage of the domestic pandemic, thanks to the relay cooperation of various levels of government, industry authorities, and all partners. The two vessels have completed 82 voyages and transported a total of 520,000 tons of various chemicals, becoming the most active and popular high-quality chemical tankers in the domestic water transportation market.
Adversity can reveal one's true colors, and cooperation can create a better future. Looking ahead, we are enthusiastic about deepening our collaboration with Wuchang Shipbuilding to champion their development philosophy of "pursuing exceptional quality, exceeding customer expectations, and shaping the WS brand." Through this partnership, we are also committed to supporting Gentco Logistics in realizing its vision of "becoming a value-creating provider in the liquid chemicals logistics sector".
In his speech, Qu Minwei expressed his delight in witnessing the signing at the vibrant Wuchang Shipbuilding. He introduced that, since its founding in 2005, Shanghai SC-Stolt Shipping has been a domestic chemical shipping company providing coastal chemical transportation services to multinational chemical enterprises as well as local chemical manufacturers in China. He also emphasized that to meet the increasing demand for safe, energy-efficient, and reliable services from clients and customers, a new generation of tankers is essential to ensure continued success.
"I would like to express my gratitude to all my colleagues in the new shipbuilding department, as well as to our friends from the shipyard, design institutes, and classification society, for all the efforts put into this project," said General Manager Qu. He went on to mention the upcoming marathon race in Wuhan and compared it to their project, saying, "Our project is like running a marathon. Today, with the successful signing of the contract, we have taken a solid first step, but there is still a long way to go. Let's work together in good faith, and I believe we will successfully reach the finish line."
The contracted 9,200-DWT tanker features an LOA of 118.00 meters, a beam of 19.50 meters, a depth of 10.50 meters, and a design draft of 7.60 meters. It has a service speed of 13 knots and is classed by CCS under the Chinese flag. The cargo tanks are constructed with duplex stainless steel 2205, enabling the vessel to carry high-end cargo such as TDI and MDI for worldwide trade. Compliant with Tier III emission requirements, the vessel also offers lower fuel consumption, increased loading capacity, and expanded cargo hold capacity, making it a new benchmark for the next generation of eco-friendly, high-end stainless steel chemical tankers.
Cooperation Background
Shanghai SC-Stolt Shipping Co., Ltd., established in 2005, is a joint venture between Shanghai SC Shipping and Stolt-Nielsen. The company is mainly engaged in the transport of liquid chemicals for domestic trades and currently operates a fleet of ten ships.
Wuchang Shipbuilding and Shanghai SC Shipping have collaborated on the construction of four 7,200-DWT stainless steel chemical tankers. The first two ships were delivered in 2021 and 2022, respectively, with the subsequent two vessels scheduled for delivery at the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024.
