Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC) has delivered the Erhang Changqing, the largest pile-driving vessel ever built. The ceremony took place on January 5 in Qidong City, Jiangsu Province.
The vessel measures 130.5 meters long, 40.8 meters wide, and 8.4 meters deep. Its 150-meter-high pile frame can drive piles up to 700 tons and 7 meters in diameter. It sets new records for both pile-lifting capacity and frame height. The vessel is built to withstand harsh wind and waves.
Erhang Changqing features diesel-electric hybrid DC networking technology with supercapacitors. It also incorporates a 5,000-ton thrust ultra-large oil cylinder, independently developed in China. Its advanced pile positioning system uses far-sea star station differential technology to provide centimeter-level accuracy. This boosts efficiency while cutting carbon emissions.
The vessel will play a key role in building major ports, cross-sea bridges, and offshore wind foundations. ZPMC sees it as a cornerstone for deep-sea hydraulic engineering and the offshore wind industry.
The company plans to continue pushing for smarter, greener, and more efficient engineering solutions to advance the port and shipping sectors worldwide.
