The Yangtze River Zhenjiang Waterway Authority recently completed its dedicated navigation support mission for the fourth 24,000-TEU dual-fuel ultra-large container vessel built by Yangzi Xinfu Shipbuilding, guiding the ship safely through the Taixing and Jiangyin waterways on its trial voyage. This professional and efficient service helped the world's largest class of green, intelligent ultra-large container ships begin their sea trials without incident.
Jiangsu Yangzi Xinfu Shipbuilding, located on the left bank of the Taixing waterway in the Hongqiao Industrial Park of Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, is the largest shipbuilding enterprise in the Taixing region. The company has 10 vessels scheduled for delivery in 2026, including four 24,000-TEU dual-fuel container ships, three 100,000-cubic-meter VLEC carriers, and three 32,000-DWT bulk carriers, all planned to launch and undergo sea trials this year.
The vessel currently on trial, the Xinfu 145, measures 399.99 meters in overall length, with a molded breadth of 61.3 meters and a cargo hold depth of 33.2 meters. Its deck area spans 24,000 square meters, and it can carry up to 24,212 standard containers. Equipped with an 18,600-cubic-meter membrane-type fuel tank and powered by dual-fuel green propulsion technology, the ship can complete round-trip voyages on the Asia-Europe route with a single LNG bunkering, offering significant advantages in load capacity, speed, energy efficiency, and environmental performance.
Given the immense size, deep draft, and restricted maneuverability of such ultra-large vessels, the waterway authority conducted continuous depth surveys to maintain navigable depths, issued real-time water level updates, and intensified both on-site and electronic waterway inspections. The team also conducted comprehensive inspections and maintenance of the dedicated navigation buoys near the shipyard berth, ensuring bright lights, structural integrity, and stable performance. By dynamically monitoring depth changes at the berth front and within the channel, the authority eliminated potential navigation hazards, providing solid, accurate, and reliable waterway support for the safe trial voyage of the megaship.
During the first half of this year, the Zhenjiang Waterway Authority responded to the dense schedule of ship trials and launch operations along the Taixing waterway by strengthening smart waterway infrastructure and refined maintenance efforts. The authority completed 18 waterway depth surveys, optimized 24 navigational mark adjustments, restored 19 malfunctioning beacons, and carried out 122 square kilometers of maintenance-oriented hydrographic surveys. By deploying 28 virtual beacons and installing remote telemetry terminals on 24 navigation marks, the authority established a multi-dimensional management system combining drone inspections, video surveillance, and digital waterway electronic patrols. These digital and intelligent measures continue to enhance waterway service capabilities, safeguarding the efficiency, expansion, and production growth of shipbuilding enterprises in the region.