COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry (Zhoushan) has formally launched a large-scale shipbuilding energy-efficiency improvement programme, reinforcing its long-term strategy to enhance production efficiency and expand into higher-value vessel construction.
The project entered the construction phase following a groundbreaking ceremony on 30 December 2025, after COSCO SHIPPING Group approved it on 5 November 2025. The development is scheduled over 400 calendar days, with completion and delivery planned for the first quarter of 2027.
Spanning a total construction area of 42,831.51 sq m, the programme focuses on upgrading core production support infrastructure. It includes the expansion of Hull Workshop No. 2 and the distribution plant, alongside the construction of Coating Workshop No. 4, Sandblasting Workshop No. 4, a power distribution station, and dedicated paint as well as oil and chemical warehouses. The integrated layout is intended to improve workflow efficiency and reduce energy intensity across key shipbuilding processes.
Once completed, the upgrade is expected to significantly strengthen the yard’s capability to construct 200,000–300,000 DWT bulk carriers, while providing a technical and operational foundation for developing higher-end ship types. The company has positioned the project around the principles of green production, digital operation, and intelligent manufacturing, aligning facility investment with efficiency-driven and low-carbon objectives.
The energy-efficiency programme comes amid a broader capacity expansion at the Zhoushan base. Outfitting quay No. 9 entered operation on 30 August 2025, while outfitting quay No. 8 completed its acceptance inspection on 30 October 2025. Both quays are part of a project that began construction on 30 September 2024, adding a 300,000-tonne-class outfitting quay and a 150,000-tonne-class outfitting quay, supported by approach bridges and related infrastructure.
In parallel, the main structure of Dry Dock No. 4 has recently been completed. Designed as a modern 300,000-tonne-class shipbuilding and repair dock, the facility measures 430 m in length, 120 m in width, and 15.2 m in depth, with a total construction area of 51,600 sq m. The dock is intended to support the construction and repair of new-energy vessels and other high-technology, high-value ship types.
With the progressive commissioning of new quays and the forthcoming completion of Dry Dock No. 4 and the energy-efficiency upgrade, COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry (Zhoushan) is set to achieve a systematic improvement in production layout, technical capabilit,y and resource utilisation, strengthening its competitiveness in both large-scale and high-end shipbuilding markets.
