CMA CGM Jacques Saade, the world's largest container vessel powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) as well as fuel oil

 

The world's largest container vessel powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) in addition to fuel oil was named and handed over by its Chinese manufacturers to its French buyer in Changxing Island in Shanghai on Tuesday, proving that China's shipbuilding industry has moved from following others to "leading the pack" in terms of large container ship manufacturing. 

With a deck as large as 23,978 square meters, roughly equivalent to the size of three and a half standard soccer fields, the world's largest and most advanced dual-fuel container ship can be loaded with 23,000 TEUs at a single time. 

Independently designed by the No.708 Institute of China State Shipbuilding Corporation and manufactured by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co and Jiangnan Shipyard (Group) Co, the world's maximum powered dual fuel container ship is able to navigate in both open seas and offshore voyages with environmentally friendly LNG as well as fuel oil. 

It is the world's first project that uses LNG as a major fuel in dual fuel engines on the ultra large container ships (ULCS). Meanwhile, its major advantage is that it can meet the world's strictest emissions standards. 

Compared with traditional fuel oil-powered container ships, it can largely reduce the amount of pollution released into the environment by cutting carbon emissions by 20 percent, nitrogen oxide by 85 percent and sulfur by 99 percent. 

Its total length is 399.9 meters, over 60 meters longer than the world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier of the United States Navy. With a width of 61.3 meters and cargo warehouse 33.5 meters deep, it can hold 220,000 tons of cargo piled up as high as 24 stories, which is equivalent to the height of a 22-story building. 

Its French buyer, CMA CGM Group, a worldwide container transportation and shipping company, named it after the enterprise founder, CMA CGM Jacques Saadé, to show respect. 

This type of container ship has become major shipping companies' favorite type to order. In addition to the ship handed over Tuesday, eight sister ships will be built by Hudong-Zhonghua and Jiangnan.