ZPMC Holds Naming Ceremony for First Two 38,000 DWT Multipurpose Heavy-Lift Vessels for Chipolbrok

SHANGHAI, Sept. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On Aug. 28, Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (ZPMC) held a ceremony to name the first two 38,000 DWT multipurpose heavy-lift vessels for Chipolbrok.

Each vessel measures 182 meters in length, with a beam of 30 meters and a depth of 17 meters, and has a design draft of 9.8 meters and a service speed of 14.5 knots. Classed by DNV, the vessels feature a full-length open deck and two extra-long cargo holds, with a maximum hold length of 76.8 meters, along with adjustable tweendecks that enhance cargo versatility. Each vessel is equipped with three 350-ton cranes developed in-house by ZPMC, two of which can operate in tandem to provide a combined lifting capacity of up to 700 tons, enabling the efficient handling of heavy components.

Combining high cargo-carrying capacity, heavy-lift capability, cargo-handling versatility and low energy consumption, the vessels are designed to transport oversized equipment, heavy engineering materials and breakbulk cargo by sea. The series also marks ZPMC's entry into the multipurpose heavy-lift vessel market.

The four-vessel series incorporates an energy-efficient design featuring a shaft generator and battery system. The system combines a continuous supply of power from the shaft generator with flexible peak-load management by the batteries and potential energy recovery, helping reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions across all operating conditions and improve the vessels' Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) ratings, in line with the shipping industry's shift toward lower-carbon operations. Following delivery, the vessels will operate on major international routes for oversized cargo, providing reliable transport capacity for wind power equipment, large construction machinery, specialized components and other heavy cargo.