The flag vessel „TAI XING“ is one of presently six latest newbuildings of the Chinese-Polish Joint Stock Shipping Co. S.A., Shanghai/Gdynia which had been built in 2021/2022, ending its 16th voyage on the westbound route at Gdynia for discharging these days and after touching various other European ports before.
With the commissioning of these six ships, a paradigm shift took place at the shipping company. While the focus was on cargo that doesn't fit in containers, i.e. anything that is large, heavy and out-of-gauge, the focus is now for this type on bulk cargo in employments from areas poor in project parcels.
TAI XING“ and her sister ships HERBERT, PILECKI, YONG XING, YU AN and BOYM (only recently put into service) are almost identical in construction and parameters meaning box-shaped holds without centerline bulkhead. The outstanding characteristics are a dwt capacity of max. 61.641ts and a displacement of 75.242ts on 13,50m maximum draft. The endurance is good enough for 18,000nm The under deck space is roughly 75,000cbm / 2,600,000mio cuft with a flush weather deck space of 5,000sqm (which would also be sufficient for 804TEU). Equipped with four cranes on the portside of 2 x 80ts swl and 2 x 150ts swl the vessel is self-sustained in tandem lift up to 300ts swl. This enables these ships also to carry heavy lifts and any kind of awkward units. Length over all is 199,90m by a breadth of 32,26. Classification was done by DNV as +1A, general dry cargo ship together with Chinese classification CCS CSA and Polish Register of Shipping respectively.
The main focus for cargo is concentrated on dry bulk cargo like fertilizers, minerals, rare earths, steel and non-ferrous metal products, grain, oil seeds, coke and quite regularly full loads of wind power equipment and project cargo / modules when it comes to shipments from China/Far East. This is how Chipolbrok reacts to non-balanced markets.
The shipping company's previous ship types were already able and equipped to transport bulk cargo. But the focus of employment was always on break bulk shipments in the existing liner services. These XXL Ladies will primarily be used in global bulk transport on the spot market or contractual wise.
Given the commercial success that these six ships have already achieved, the decision was recently taken to order two more of this type. Names are still a secret but proposals had been given. Both ships will enter service in 2025/2026.
With the call at the last port of this voyage 16 in Gdynia, there was a rare opportunity to board the ship at the shipping company's branch office seat. Shipping Directors visited the vessel accompanied by new employees from Commercial Department. A welcome opportunity to express their gratitude for a successful journey and to familiarize new people with life on board and the impressive size of this type of ship. After warm conversations and good wishes for the trip home to China, the office people returned on-shore enriched with a wealth of new impressions.