Recently, Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC) secured another order for special vessels, signing a construction contract with domestic Henghui Shipping for up to four 38,000 DWT multi-purpose heavy-lift vessels, comprising two confirmed orders and options for two additional vessels, marking ZPMC's continued breakthrough in the multi-purpose engineering heavy-lift vessel segment. The ship price and delivery schedule for this order have not yet been disclosed.

It is understood that this type of heavy-lift vessel is equipped with three 250-tonne cranes, with a combined lifting capacity of up to 500 tonnes; it features two extended cargo holds, with the longest hold reaching 76.8 metres, paired with a continuous open deck, making it suitable for transporting oversize project cargo such as large mechanical equipment and wind power modules. The vessel has undergone systematic optimisation from an energy-saving perspective, equipped with rudder bulbs, vortex fins, and a high-voltage shore power system. Through hull form line optimisation, fuel consumption and carbon emissions are effectively reduced.

ZPMC formally entered the multi-purpose heavy-lift vessel newbuilding market two years ago. In August 2024, it secured its first order in this segment, building two confirmed plus two optional units of the same 38,000 DWT heavy-lift vessel type for Chipolbrok, likewise equipped with three 250-tonne cranes. These vessels have now entered substantive construction, with some having completed key milestones such as sea trials and naming. Meanwhile, Chipolbrok is also continuing to procure larger-tonnage vessels from other domestic shipyards to expand its own heavy-lift transport fleet. Following the progress of the Chipolbrok project, the Henghui Shipping order represents another important achievement for ZPMC in the special engineering vessel sector, as its offshore engineering vessel segment continues to expand its customer base.

As an A-share listed equipment manufacturing enterprise, ZPMC recently received research visits from over ten institutional investors including CITIC Securities, CICC, and China Merchants Securities, disclosing its overall operations and order intake for the first half of 2026. From January to June 2026, the company's total newly signed contracts and awarded orders reached USD 3.994 billion, up 11.38% year-on-year, with all three core business segments—port machinery, offshore engineering, and steel structures—achieving positive order growth.

The port machinery business remains ZPMC's foundation, with newly signed and awarded contracts amounting to USD 3.297 billion in the first half, up 5.11% year-on-year; among these, port machinery service business newly signed USD 207 million, up 6.86% year-on-year, with aftermarket operation and maintenance services steadily expanding. The offshore engineering business signed and was awarded USD 453 million in new orders, up 26.32% year-on-year, with heavy-lift vessels and other special engineering vessels being key expansion directions for the offshore engineering segment. The steel structure segment emerged as a growth highlight, with newly signed and awarded orders of USD 244 million in the first half, surging 171.57% year-on-year, driven by high-value-added products such as offshore wind power converter stations.

ZPMC stated that it will adhere to its strategy of "anchoring on ports and taking steel as the guiding principle," continuing to strengthen its three core segments of port machinery, offshore engineering equipment, and steel structures, advancing product premiumisation, greening, and intelligentisation, and vigorously developing new quality productive forces. The port machinery business will consolidate its global leadership position, focusing on automated terminals and aftermarket services; the offshore engineering business will deepen its presence in advantageous vessel types such as dredgers, large crane vessels, cable-laying vessels, and heavy-lift vessels, continuously improving project profitability; the steel structure business will focus on developing high-value-added incremental markets such as offshore wind power converter stations.

Overall, with the traditional port machinery foundation remaining solid on one hand, and the offshore engineering vessel and steel structure businesses growing rapidly on the other, the continuous landing of orders in new segments such as heavy-lift vessels is further diversifying ZPMC's business structure, as it steadily advances its transformation from a single-segment port machinery leader to a comprehensive high-end equipment manufacturing enterprise.