China: Ouhua Shipbuilding Holds Steel Cutting Ceremony for Project MPV 31

In the morning of March 10, the building of the first vessel, Shansi, for Project MPV 31 was commenced in No. 5 machining workshop. Several hundred of people including guests from the ship owner, Hong Kong Swire Shipping and LR Classification Society etc., as well as the leaders and employees of the Company were present on the initiation ceremony.

Shen Zhihua, vice-general manager of the Company, and Mr. Tim Blackbum, General Manager of the Swire Shipping respectively addressed the ceremony as the representatives of both parties. Mr. Martin Cresswell from Swire Shipping announced the commencement of shipbuilding, and Mr. Chris Wilson pressed the ignition button on the console of the cutter.

Project MPV31 is the first project in Ouhua’s cooperation with Swire Shipping, in which 8 vessels will be constructed. The first vessel has a total length of 199.90m, with the length between perpendiculars of 188.79m, molded depth of 15.50m and molded width of 28.2m; the designed speed is 15.5kn. It is a stern-engine vessel with single engine and single oar; the propulsion system consists of the diesel engine, intermediate shaft, propeller shaft and propeller; the electric power system is composed of three generators and one emergency generator; at the bow of the vessel, a propeller thruster is installed; the rudder system consists of a piston steering gear and an underhung rudder. On the main deck and poop deck, 2 anchor capstans and 4 windlasses are installed, all are electrical. The vessel has 5 cargo holds. On the amidship of the main deck, 4 ship cranes are laid. No. 1, 2 and 5 cargo holds have lift-away hatch covers; No. 3 and 4 cargo holds have hydraulic folded hatch covers; No. 3 and 4 ship compartments have centerline bulkheads with hydraulic folded secondary deck hatch cover arranged.

Since 2007, when the Company started contact with Swire Shipping for negotiation on the project, the Company has survived fierce competition and stood great test; finally it stood out from the other competitors and got the offer for the vessel series. As Shen Zhihua indicated in his address on the initiation ceremony, Ouhua Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. attached great importance to establishment of partnership with Swire Shipping; it sincerely cherished the chance of this cooperation and wished to establish a long-term strategic partnership with the latter.

“It is a significant step towards our partnership with Swire Shipping; we will make efforts for a stable and sound partnership in future. ” Mr. Tim Blackbum expressed his gratitude in his address to all Ouhua employees serving for project MPV31, as well as his appreciation for the high efficiency and energy-saving performances in implementation after the development and design of Project MPV31 were completed; he also expressed his firm belief in that the fleet of vessel series built by Ouhua would be the representative of the shipbuilding teams of Swire Shipping and the example for building multi-purpose vessels.

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Source: ouhuashipbuilding, March 23, 2012