On April 8, the jack-up deep-water crane vessel with the longest legs and deepest operating depth in China, built by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (ZPMC) for the Guangzhou Salvage Bureau, reached a key milestone. The world’s largest spud can equipped on the vessel officially commenced construction at Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Qidong Marine Engineering Co., Ltd.

The vessel measures 138 meters in overall length, 55 meters in molded breadth, and 10 meters in molded depth, with a design draft of 6.5 meters and a complement of 150 personnel. It features unlimited navigation area capability and is equipped with the longest legs in China at 142 meters, along with a 1,600-ton leg-encircling crane,enabling to achieve pile-jacking operations at water depths of up to 90 meters and lifting heights of 210 meters above deck. The vessel employs full electric propulsion, with four azimuth thrusters arranged to enhance DP2 dynamic positioning capability, allowing salvage and rescue operations in complex sea conditions. Adopting a multi-mission design philosophy, it can also handle the transportation and installation of offshore wind farm equipment, platform maintenance, and life support functions, achieving “multi-purpose, full-domain adaptability.”

As the core load-bearing components of the legs, the spud cans directly determine the vessel’s stability and operational safety in complex deep-sea conditions. The 4 spud cans now under construction are the world’s largest, setting new records in dimensions: each measures 9.5 meters in height, 17 meters in length, and 16 meters in width. Special material steel plates account for approximately 60% of the structure—an unprecedented ratio in similar spud can designs. These spud cans will provide stable and reliable support for the vessel’s deep-sea operations, further enhancing its wind and wave resistance and operational adaptability.