Hengli Heavy Industries has entered a key construction phase for three ultra-large gantry cranes at its super dry dock on Changxing Island in Dalian, according to Jiangsu Tianmu Construction Group Limited Company.

The project, launched on 10 April, involves two 2,000-tonne gantry cranes with a 256 m span and 100 m lifting height, setting a new global benchmark. Each unit contributes to a combined structure weight of 12,700 tonnes, marking the heaviest gantry crane configuration built to date, with single-lift capacity exceeding 10,500 tonnes. A third crane, rated at 1,000 tonnes, shares the same 256 m span, with a total weight of 9,300 tonnes and lifting capacity of 8,000 tonnes.

All three cranes will be installed within the same dry dock, forming a high-capacity lifting system designed to support large-scale block assembly. The configuration is intended to enable full-module construction for complex vessels and offshore units.

Once operational, the cranes will serve production of high-end ship types, including VLCCs, container vessels, LNG carriers, and offshore engineering assets. The integrated lifting system is expected to improve dry dock construction efficiency by more than 50%, particularly through the ability to handle ultra-large modules in single operations.

Hengli Heavy Industries is advancing its position in high-value shipbuilding and offshore equipment manufacturing. The company has established an industrial base focused on digitalized, environmentally aligned, and high-end production processes. Its product portfolio includes VLCCs, VLOCs, VLGCs, ultra-large container ships, LNG carriers, FLNG units, FPSOs, and semi-submersible drilling rigs.

The Dalian facility features a large-scale dry dock capable of building up to four 300,000 DWT VLCCs simultaneously. It is supported by heavy lifting infrastructure, including gantry cranes ranging from 900 tonnes to 2,000 tonnes, with a maximum combined lifting capacity of 3,200 tonnes.