ZPMC and Liyang Marine Engineering sign an agreement to build a 5,000-ton self-propelled full-rotation floating crane vessel. [Photo/ntjoy.com]

A 5,000-metric-ton self-propelled full-rotation floating crane vessel is to be built by shipyard Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Qidong Marine Engineering Co Ltd, under an agreement signed by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co Ltd, or ZPMC, and Liyang Marine Engineering Co Ltd on July 24.

Based in the county-level city of Qidong – administered by Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province – Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Qidong Marine Engineering Co Ltd is a large holding subsidiary of ZPMC.

The new crane vessel will have a length of 215 meters, a width of 51.8 m and a depth of 19 m. When the tail crane is fixed, the main hook has a lifting load of 5,000 tons, which will make it among the best of its kind in China.

With a wide range of uses, the crane vessel can not only provide installation services for thriving offshore wind power projects, but also be involved in water operations such as bridge constructions, rescues and salvages.

In recent years, the shipyard where the floating crane vessel will be built has successfully completed and delivered several ships with great strength, such as the world's largest pile-driving vessel.