415 March 2007

Mawei Port: Cradle of China Shipbuilding

Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding Museum

Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding Ltd. claims the singular honour of being China’s first modern shipyard. At the same time it is building a state-of-the-art 70-meter off shore supply vessel for a Middle-Eastern customer. The very international Singaporean-designed vessel will be fitted with a pair of Japanese-supplied medium speed 2500 hp main engines as well as five Cummins powered generator sets. These include three Cummins KTA38 DM powered 800 kW sets, one KTA19 DM-powered 330 kW set and a Cummins 6BT8.3 liter DM powered 80 kW emergency gen set.

Located in Mawei Port just down the Min Jong River from the Fujian capital city of Fuzhou, the yard is also noted for the medium-size container ships such as the GL-classed 700 TEU M/V Opar Cadiz. Capable of building vessels to 35,000 tons the yard has a 20,000-ton graving dock in addition to a 5000-ton, 15,000-ton and a 35,000-ton slipway.

Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding Museum

The ISO9001-certified yard is one of the most modern in China at the same time as recognizing it history. Near the slipways in the centre of the yard a pair of brick buildings built in 1867 as a part of the Fujian Navigation Administration have been preserved. They now contain an excellent museum of the shipyards history dating from the late 19th century. While the modern shipyard has underwater plasma cutting the museum has a life size model of an early lathe complete with human figures. Another set of cast figures shows a European meeting with Chinese shipyard designers over the plans for an early steam powered vessel, this contrasts nicely with the yard’s advanced computerized technical centre with over 300 employees including over 100 engineers. In addition to their new vessel design work, the engineering department lends support to the yard repair division as well.

The brick museum is an important statement of the continuity of marine tradition and shipbuilding excellence in southeastern China. From early steam vessels built by the firm’s predecessor, the Navigational Administration, to modern supply vessels the importance of historic continuity and modern technology are each given strong representation at Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding Ltd.

Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding Museum

For further information please contact:

Linda Zhang
Marketing Manager
Cummins China
Guangzhou, China
Phone: +86 13600040695
E-mail: zhang.sujuan@Cummins.com

Lin Zhishen
Assistant of General Manager
3 Chuan Zheng Road
Mawei Fuzhou 350015
Fujian, China
Phone: (0591) 8368 1338
Fax: (0591) 8368 2198
Mobile 139 5914 9087
E-mail: linzhisheng@126.com
Web: www.maweiship.com

All photos by Alan Haig-Brown.

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