Recently, a brand-new LNG-powered dual-purpose ship for cargo collection and distribution completed its final commissioning and sailed slowly away from the port on the banks of the Baima River in Zoucheng District, Jining. With this delivery, Shandong Xinneng Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. has delivered a total of 112 new energy vessels across all categories. In particular, the company's deliveries of new energy transport vessels alone have surpassed 100 units for the first time, marking an important milestone.

Along the Grand Canal, the famed golden waterway, a green energy-powered fleet is taking shape at an accelerated pace, witnessing the profound transformation of inland waterway shipping.

In merely two years, the factory premises of Xinneng Shipbuilding have evolved into a modern manufacturing base capable of producing 100 new energy vessels annually. Based in Jining, the company's combined workshop features fully intelligent production operations: laser cutting machines execute precise automatic path planning, unmanned transport vehicles travel in orderly routes along magnetic guide strips, and digital display screens show real-time progress of each working procedure. Backed by a full-process digital production system, the workshop has achieved a peak monthly output of 8 vessels, with overall production efficiency rising by 172%.

The factory premises of Shandong Xinneng Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.

Photo by Wang Qi

In 2025, Xinneng Shipbuilding delivered a total of 82 vessels throughout the year, with monthly deliveries surging to 21 units in December. Another 21 units of 73-meter LNG-powered vessels were rolled out in the first quarter of 2026.

Meanwhile, Jining has driven upstream and downstream enterprises to roll out professional supporting services. Battery solutions from CATL and LNG vessel designs developed by CIMC have been locally deployed. A full range of supporting products, including high-strength steel, battery systems, special marine coatings and intelligent welding equipment, have been put into production one after another. A complete industrial chain for new energy vessels is being gradually optimized and improved.

These new energy vessels have not only boosted the domestic market, but also helped "Made-in-Jining" products march onto the global market. The company has previously delivered various types of cargo vessels to Tanzania, Cuba and other countries. Today, its new energy vessels are sailing to wider waters across Southeast Asia, Africa and other regions, fully demonstrating the robust strength of China's shipbuilding industry.

Currently, Jining’s special equipment industrial chain includes six sub-chains, covering new energy vessels, mining machinery, industrial machine tools and other fields, with over 240 enterprises above designated size. In 2025, the cargo throughput of Jining Port reached 116 million tons, making it the first 100-million-ton inland port in northern China.