In 2012, CCTV filming documentary film "Super Project", the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co., Ltd. is a large liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship construction as the most representative of China's major projects, one dedicated to shooting a set of "super LNG ship", a comprehensive display of the Hudong create "super-ship LNG project," the story; in 2013, in China's major equipment manufacturing industry to record "beyond innovation, industry serve the country" as the theme of the CCTV large-scale documentary "powers weighing ", the Hudong again to large LNG ship construction identity debut, the film was selected to become one of the 10 priority areas of 18 leading companies. The awards, there is little domestic enterprises to par.

    LNG ship with high technical content, known as the world shipbuilding industry "crown jewel", its difficult to build large, called "super project." More importantly, in the conventional oil and energy has become tighter global LNG demand is growing, the case of China LNG imports continued to rise, "LNG ship super project" not only represents the high-end engineering and technical model for the world shipbuilding peak, it is ensure our energy security and strategic foundation engineering equipment. Therefore, Hudong as the only world but also one of the few "LNG ship super project" creator, its importance and unique value is self-evident.

    Back in 1997, Hudong began preliminary pre-research LNG ships, and in 1999 officially approved. In this regard, both when he was Premier Zhu Rongji, when he was deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission, the National Energy Bureau Zhang Guobao, have high hopes. They depart from the national strategic level, that with the increasing demand of China's imports of LNG, in order to ensure national energy security, China must soon have its own built LNG carriers. Hudong undertake this historic mission, both glorious and arduous, their experiences offer all kinds of difficulties, 10,000 kinds of hardships, but also others unimaginable.

    It is understood, LNG ship is mainly used for loading and long-distance transport of minus 163 degrees Celsius, liquefied natural gas, requires extremely high reliability, and the ship's hull components must ensure safe use of 40 years. The Hudong is more difficult to build a thin film type LNG carriers, in order to achieve a high degree of safety and reliability, internal cargo must be completely covered with tile Yin steel and form a "seamless" by welding steel tile Yin "liner" . According to statistics, a large LNG ship only Yin tile steel welds on the cargo area of up to 130 kilometers, and only 0.7 mm thick steel tile Yin, so thin as a piece of paper, a drop of water will be eroded up ; At the same time, internal cargo tank for heat insulation has more than 1100 kinds of species, the total number of over 55,000, the installation of high precision, tolerance is generally a "wire" as a unit, a level comparable to fine hair wire!

    In order to grasp the LNG ship construction technology, Hudong has launched and completed 12 independent research projects, including the "design technology to develop ultra low temperature systems and other mission-critical systems," "structural design analysis technology development", "live cargo containment system research management, installation, testing and welding technology "," insulating case insulation material manufacturing and localization of research "," Made in liquid cargo system design, installation and commissioning of process technology research ". Meanwhile, the company carried out a large number of LNG ship construction personnel training. Among them, Yin tile steel welding technology is very unique, hold G must be completed by certified welders Yin tile steel and the construction of an LNG vessel requires nearly a hundred such welders. According to the experience of foreign shipyard, will develop into a good welders hold certificates G Yin tile steel welders, generally more than six months, while training costs have more than 20 million. Develop such a welder in China is completely new, Hudong start from scratch.

    In order to more fully understand the actual LNG ship construction process may encounter technical and process problems, which detours the first ship built in Hudong accordance with internationally accepted practice, ahead of making a simulation chamber practical exercise to test their construction techniques and use practices improved and enhanced. In the production process simulation chamber, although encountered many difficulties, but difficulties Hudong, active research, and finally finished the simulation chamber, its quality has been highly appreciated by foreign experts. Produced by simulation chamber, Hudong in the design, construction technology and other aspects to master a lot of first-hand information.

    After the first LNG vessels started in order to ensure the LNG ship construction process closely controlled, Hudong every process have developed a detailed construction plan, even minor details are taken very comprehensive, for example, how to knock when workers produce insulating case nails are detailed provisions. In addition, Hudong design and production personnel to actively use their brains, according to the special requirements of the LNG ship construction, designed and produced a number of special tooling to ensure the accuracy of construction.

    February 2010, China State Shipbuilding Corporation to bring its Hudong to market a self-developed electric propulsion 160,000 m3 LNG ships, 175,000 cubic meters of electric propulsion / steam turbine propulsion efficiency / low speed propulsion plus re-liquefaction means LNG ships and 220,000 cubic meters of electric propulsion / low speed propulsion LNG liquefaction plant plus another ship three new ship. The move shows that China not only has the ability to ship high-quality construction of LNG carriers and LNG vessels equipped with advanced design capabilities.

    Hudong Why have such confidence? Secret that the construction of LNG at Hudong ship at the beginning, though, is by buying patented technology started overseas, but in the drawings into a real ship construction process, the company did not accept it passively foreign design, but give full play to the initiative, with its own production factors, the depth in the digestion and absorption of foreign based on the results, a lot of localization transformation and innovation. For example, in LNG ship interior design, the limitations of the original drawings from Hudong, explore new ideas, changing concepts, with a lot of new technologies, a lot of new materials, new technology.

    Only LNG ship bow system key technology research aspects, Hudong it has completed 80 research projects, the successful application of the "special insulated boxes manufacturing patent", "patented pump tower manufacturer", "Yin tile parts manufacturing patent", 31 patents related to the LNG ship key technology, including patents 22 utility model patents 9. By the end of 2013, Hudong the application for LNG vessels up to 44 patents, patents have been licensed 24, including 12 invention patents, utility model patents 12. By way of introduction, digestion, absorption and innovation of key technologies in the development of Hudong-Zhonghua LNG ship construction of a breakthrough, the formation of independent intellectual property rights, combined with the latest development trend of the international market demand and the world maritime industry on the basis of independent research and development advanced LNG carriers.

    With these new ship independently developed, in January 2011, Hudong winning world-renowned Exxon / Japan's Mitsui OSK Lines of four LNG ship construction projects, and in July of that year signed a four 17.2 ten thousand cubic meters LNG ship construction contract. For Hudong, the harvest is not only the order of billions of dollars, it is well-known foreign shipowners and world shipbuilding power to China LNG ship design, recognized and accepted construction capabilities. This is the first batch Hudong undertake export LNG ship orders, but also domestic LNG carriers successfully into the international market began.

    One of the hottest natural gas as a clean energy in the 21st century, the market has been optimistic about the prospects. According to Exxon Mobil predicts that by 2030, global demand for natural gas consumption average annual growth rate of 2%, while the annual growth rate of demand for oil and coal is only 0.7%. Long-term natural gas demand forecast of the International Energy Agency (IEA) released 2035, global gas demand will reach 5.1 trillion cubic meters, accounting for 25% of global energy needs. US Department of Energy (EIA) predicts that over the next few years, China LNG imports will maintain rapid growth in 2020 is expected to reach 60 million tons, accounting for market share in the Asia-Pacific region from the current 8% to 20%; to 2035, Chinese demand for natural gas will account for 1/5 of the total global demand, the share of imports of natural gas will reach 43%, of which LNG will account for a large proportion. At the same time, by 2035, the global LNG-related investments in infrastructure will be more than 590 billion US dollars.

    August 2012, "National Key Laboratory of Energy LNG sea transportation equipment" in Hudong inaugurated. As a present, China in the LNG storage and transportation equipment only state-level R & D center, the laboratory closely around the needs of building an innovative country and energy structure optimization and upgrading of strategic needs and energy scientific and technological progress, the use of existing R & D infrastructure and conditions for full mobilization of industry, academia, research enthusiasm of all parties, through production, learning and research as the way to carry out research and development of the LNG storage and transportation equipment key technology research, study and formulate important technical standards, gather and train personnel of industrial technology innovation to build LNG sea transportation development, marketing and service system equipment, the formation of independent innovation capability, enhance the core competitiveness of China's shipbuilding industry, equipment laid the foundation for the smooth implementation of the national energy strategy for the country to provide technical support bigger and stronger LNG industry.

    Hudong-Zhonghua LNG ships have long conducted localization of key equipment development work, we have now realized the insulating case, a pump tower, Yin tile trihedron, connectors and other accessories and tank installation platforms and other construction equipment in China. In recent years, Hudong by conducting domestic work, to further expand the domestic scale LNG equipment, materials and core components like. Meanwhile, the company vigorously carry out patent research technology new LNG containment system.