Iain sent these pictures in of a LPG tanker launch in China. To me, it seems a bit of a rough launch and quite risky. Well you could certainly sustain allot of damage launching a ship that way, but I guess one must do what one must to get the job done. That's an interesting point to ponder, what if they do some damage, do they have a drydock or do they haul her up on the beach?
Here's a blurb on the ship from its owners Wideshine.
On 12:48, 15 March 2008, 3700 m³LPG Carrier “Hong Yue” was launched successfully at Jiangbei Shipyard.
“Hong Yue” was a new-typed vessel corporately designed and developed by Wideshine and Changjiang Ship Design Institute. The Vessel has a LOA of 99.80 m, a moulded Breadth of 14.80 m, and a total cargo capacity of 3700 m³. She was the largest LPG carrier as yet in domestic China which broke the capacity record among domestic LPG vessels. The Vessel was estimated to be delivered at the end of May and would be engaged in LPG transportation in China coastal sea area.
Thereafter this successful event, the second sister-ship “Hong Sui” would be launched on May and Wideshine’s total capacity for LPG transportation would reach to 17,000 m³ and rank next
to Dalian Cosco.
Just the facts...
Chinese Name: 宏 粤
English Name: HONG YUE
Signal Letter: BMJE
IMO: 9519690
Flag State: China
Port of Register: Fangchenggang
Owners: Fangchenggang Southwest Maritime Ltd.
Operators: Fangchenggang Southwest Maritime Ltd.
Type of Ship and Purposes: Liquefied Gas Carrier
Gross Tonage: 2970
Net Tonage: 1003
Dead weight: 3083
Length Overall (LOA): 99.80
Length B. P. (LBP): 93.00
Moulded B (BM):14.80
Moulded D (DM): 7.20
Freeboard: 1,818.00
Draught: 5.40
Speed: 13
Hull Notation: Type 2PG ;Minimum Cargo Temperature -10℃ ;Max. Vapour Pressure 1.72MPa ;Ice Class B ;Type C Independent Tank
Ship Builder: Jiangbei Yuanhan Shipbuilding Co.,Ltd.
Place of Ship Build: China
Date of Ship Build: 2008-7-23
Engine Builder: Qingdao Zichai Boyang Diesel Engine Co., Ltd., China
Type of Number of Main Engine: 6N330-EN*1Labels: Asia, LNG, near miss, shipyard
to Dalian Cosco.
