World's Largest Spudcan Begins Fabrication

SHANGHAI, April 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (ZPMC) has reached a key milestone in the construction of a jack-up deepwater crane vessel for the Guangzhou Salvage Bureau, as fabrication of the vessel's spudcans—set to be the largest in the world—has commenced at ZPMC Offshore Engineering.

Designed as China's longest-leg and deepest-operating jack-up crane vessel, the vessel measures 138 meters in overall length, with a beam of 55 meters and a molded depth of 10 meters. It has a designed draft of 6.5 meters and accommodates a crew of 150, with unrestricted service capability. The vessel is outfitted with China's longest jack-up legs, extending 142 meters, and a 1,600-ton leg-encircling crane, enabling pile installation operations at water depths of up to 90 meters and lifting heights reaching 210 meters above deck. Powered by a fully electric propulsion system and equipped with four azimuth thrusters, the vessel features enhanced Dynamic Positioning Class 2 (DP2) capability, enabling emergency response and salvage operations under complex offshore conditions. Its multi-mission design also enables offshore wind equipment transport and installation, platform maintenance, and accommodation services, delivering flexible, multi-role capability across offshore operations.

As the primary load-bearing component of the jack-up legs, the spudcan plays a critical role in ensuring vessel stability and operational safety in deepwater and challenging environments. A total of four spudcans will be constructed, each setting new benchmarks in size: 9.5 meters in height, 17 meters in length, and 16 meters in width. Notably, approximately 60% of each structure consists of special-grade steel plate, representing an unusually high proportion for spudcans of this type. Once completed, these components will provide a robust and reliable foundation for deepwater operations, improving resistance to wind and wave loads while enhancing overall operational resilience.

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