Fanzhou 8 completes successful sea trials, returns to Port in Taizhou

The Fanzhou 8 docks at the anchorage in Taizhou, Jiangsu. [Photo/Taizhou Daily]

On Dec 22, under the coordination and support of maritime authorities, the world's largest self-propelled deck ship by carrying capacity, the Fanzhou 8, returned to the outfitting dock of Taizhou Zhonghang Shipyard after completing sea trials east of Shanghai.

The Fanzhou 8 departed Taizhou's Gaogang on Dec 16 for a five-day sea trial. The vessel, measuring 256 meters in length, 51 meters in width, and 13 meters in depth, boasts a maximum carrying capacity of 58,405.4 metric tons and a range of 16,000 nautical miles, with a top speed exceeding 15 knots. Designed to meet polar navigation standards, the ship can operate in waters with small floating ice. It incorporates cutting-edge safety, energy-saving, and environmental technologies.

Built by Taizhou Zhonghang Shipyard for Jiangsu Fanzhou Shipping, the Fanzhou 8 performs a wide range of tasks, including transporting ultra-large components such as offshore oilfield jackets, platform modules, large ship structures, nuclear power equipment, mining machinery, port machinery, and offshore wind power components. It is also capable of carrying packaged hazardous materials required for offshore oil platform operations.

The vessel conducted its sea trials using autonomous navigation, accompanied by a tugboat escort. Given the current dry season on the Yangtze River, with complex and variable hydrological conditions, the Taizhou maritime bureau performed pre-departure inspections on critical equipment. It also coordinated with maritime authorities along the route, ensuring the safe passage of the vessel through Jiangsu's section of the Yangtze River.