On the banks of the Yangtze River, a slender giant ship was steadily lifted by a giant inclined frame on the shipyard platform of Wuchang Shipyard, and slowly slid into the river - like taking an elevator to enter the water smoothly. This is a new type of roll on/roll off ship launched by China on June 6th. In the future, it will cross the Atlantic and transport aircraft components such as wings, fuselage, and tail fins from Europe to the Americas. Its appearance is not only the addition of a transport ship, but also the first large-scale landing of the "methanol+sail" dual green power solution in the global shipping industry.

Roll on/roll off ships specially designed for large aircraft components

This ship has a total length of about 169 meters and a width of 23.32 meters. The cargo hold adopts a straight through design, with an area of over 2600 square meters (equivalent to 6 basketball courts), a clear height of about 8 meters (nearly three stories high), and a total volume of over 20000 cubic meters. It can simultaneously load multiple sets of aircraft components and about 70 40 foot container boxes. The stern is equipped with a heavy-duty ramp and cargo elevator, which can meet the fast roll on/roll off loading and unloading of large-sized components such as the fuselage and wings.

Spiral sail with methanol dual fuel

There are a total of 6 chimney shaped spiral wind sails installed on the ship, made of aviation grade lightweight composite materials and optimized for aerodynamics. The Magnus effect is used to provide auxiliary thrust, which can reduce the power consumption of the main engine by 15% to 20% under ideal sea conditions. The power system uses dual fuels of methanol and diesel, achieving sulfur free emissions when using methanol. Nitrogen oxide emissions are reduced by more than 80% compared to traditional fuels, and comprehensive carbon emissions are significantly reduced compared to the previous generation of ships, meeting the latest emission standards of the International Maritime Organization.

Launch of inclined ship frame accelerates construction turnover

This time, the inclined ship frame technology is used for launching, without relying on large docks, with low site requirements, short cycle, and fast turnover. After launching, the ship will enter the dock stage to conduct functional tests on engines, propellers, power systems, and wind sail installation and commissioning. It is planned to be officially delivered in November 2026 and put into use on the transatlantic aircraft component transportation route.Editor/Yang Meiling