The trial voyage was a success, and the Maritime Safety Administration, the shipyard, and the shipowner were all highly satisfied!
On October 17th, news from the sales department indicated that the "Shungang Changjie", a combined container and bulk carrier equipped with the company's independently developed S8200ZLCT - 1 marine natural gas engine, successfully completed the acceptance test in the waters of the Guanhe River in Jiangsu. This achievement represents a crucial step forward in the research, development, and application of green - powered vessels for inland waterway shipping in China.
The "Shungang Changjie" was invested in and built by Anhui Shungang Shipping Co., Ltd. With an overall length of 119.8 meters, a width of 19 meters, and a molded depth of 8 meters, it has a container capacity of 524 TEUs and a deadweight of 10,039 tons. It is currently a technologically advanced combined container and bulk carrier in the field of inland waterway shipping. The vessel completed its operations in Jishui on September 29th. Its main engine is a Jichai S8200 series natural gas engine, which relies on a full - LNG fuel power chain. During navigation, it does not require diesel assistance, thereby fundamentally reducing carbon emissions and pollutant discharges.
As a leading enterprise in the domestic gas - fueled engine industry, the company initiated the research and development of gas engines and marine engines in the 1980s and 1990s. It has accumulated profound technical reserves and practical experience in relevant application fields. In recent years, in response to the low - carbon transformation trend in the shipping industry, the company has deeply integrated the technologies of its two traditional power products and developed marine natural gas engines that are highly favored by the market.
Currently, the Jichai S8200 series and C8190 series engines, which are widely used in the field of marine power, adopt mature technologies such as high - energy spark plug ignition and pre - valve timed injection. Through optimized design based on simulations of various ship operating conditions, the unit energy consumption rate is controlled at the lowest level in the industry, effectively promoting carbon reduction and cost savings for shipping companies. Meanwhile, relying on the company's comprehensive on - site service, technical support, and the systematic cloud data monitoring platform, the reliability, stability, and user experience of the products have been further enhanced, providing strong support for the stable navigation and efficient operation of ships.
Hua Wei, the person in charge of this project at Jichai, stated that currently, the company is researching and developing larger - power marine natural gas engines with a power range up to 3600 kilowatts to further meet the green power requirements of different scenarios, including ocean - going and inland waterway shipping.