South Shields based Solar Solve Marine is currently working on an order destined for 6 of the heaviest ships built in China. The first vessel, HUA SAN was the biggest ship, by weight, ever to be built in China when she was delivered by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipyard at the end of 2008 to her Singaporean owners Ocean Tankers Pte.
The 318,000 dwt tanker is the very first VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier) built to brand new Common Structural Rules that have been designed to ensure a more robust vessel construction for safer operation as ship sizes continue to be increased to achieve economies of scale. She is 330 mts long, 60 mts beam, 30 mts deep and 21 mts draught with a speed of 16 knots.
Due to the accuracy of the initial design concept from Korea, the skills, capabilities and cooperation of the Chinese designers and builders together with the support of marine equipment suppliers worldwide, the first vessel was delivered a staggering five months ahead of schedule.
Solar Solve have supplied 61 DIMMLITE roller blinds for windows in the accommodation areas of the vessel and 10 SOLASAFE® roller sunscreens for the navigation bridge windows to reject glare, heat and uv light from the sun. The order extends to all five sister ships as well and was won, against very stiff competition, by Kevin Liu of Harvest Hill, Solar Solve’s world wide distributor based in Shanghai.
Two of the main reasons why Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipyard was selected by the owners were “a new yard with capable technology” and “a very affordable $115 million per vessel”.
Paul Hopkins, Solar Solve Marine’s Sales and Marketing Executive commented, “China’s demand for crude oil shows little sign of abating, even in these recessionary times. Predictions vary but the consensus is that Chinese shipping companies alone will need another 40 to 65 VLCC’s by 2012. Ocean Tankers have already placed another order with Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipyard for a further six of this new vessel class and Solar Solve expects to be supplying them with more products.”
