CSSC 704 Developed New Fin Stabilizer for Ro-Ro Passenger Ships on China-Korea Route

Recently, a large luxury ro-ro passenger ship with 950 passenger seats and a 2700-meter vehicle lane for the China-South Korea route began construction at Huang Hai Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. Shanghai Hengtuo Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (referred to as Hengtuo Shipbuilding), a subsidiary of the China Shipbuilding 704 Research Institute, specially developed a pair of next-generation high-efficiency retractable stabilizer fins with innovative flap fin designs for this ship. China's mature and advanced ship attitude control technology will enhance the operational safety, stability, and passenger comfort of this premium China-South Korea route. To date, all 16 large luxury ro-ro passenger ships (including 4 under construction) serving the China-South Korea route and built by Chinese shipbuilding enterprises are equipped with stabilizer fins developed by Hengtuo Shipbuilding, showcasing its strong innovative capabilities and leading position in the domestic ship stabilizer device industry chain.

Leveraging years of project experience on the China-South Korea route and over 60 years of expertise in attitude control technology development, Hengtuo Shipbuilding has tailored a customized stabilizer solution based on the operational needs for larger, greener, and more comfortable ships. By considering the wind and wave conditions of the route and the load characteristics of the ship, they successfully developed a new generation of high-efficiency retractable stabilizer fins with a single fin area of up to 12 square meters.

This set of stabilizer fins features an innovative new wing design independently developed in China. Under the design draft and rated service speed conditions, the stabilizer fins achieve a roll reduction efficiency of over 85%, effectively mitigating the rolling motion caused by sea waves. This not only significantly enhances the safety of ship navigation in adverse sea conditions, reducing the risks of capsizing and cargo displacement in strong winds and waves, but also greatly improves passenger comfort by alleviating seasickness caused by ship motion. The product adopts a retractable structure, where the fins extend to provide stabilizing lift during operations and retract into the side fin box during steady navigation, reducing sailing resistance and balancing energy-saving and equipment protection needs.

The ship has a total length of 199.9 meters, a molded width of 29.4 meters, and a design service speed of 22 knots. It can carry hundreds of various types of vehicles, accommodate 950 passengers, and transport 410 TEU containers. It is the first ship on the China-South Korea route equipped with a three-dimensional solar tracking photovoltaic system and reserved space for methanol fuel retrofitting. The ship meets the stringent environmental standards of the IMO EEDI (International Maritime Organization Energy Efficiency Design Index) Phase III, balancing green energy efficiency with ultra-large carrying capacity. Once completed, it will be deployed on the Lianyungang, China – Pyeongtaek, South Korea route and is expected to become a new flagship for maritime trade between China and South Korea.

Deeply rooted in the luxury ro-ro passenger ship market, Hengtuo Shipbuilding's advanced ship attitude control technology has gained widespread acclaim, with its stabilizer fin series products exported to South Korea, Japan, and Europe. In November last year, Hengtuo Shipbuilding officially signed a contract with Italy's Grimaldi Group for a project involving stabilizer fins for nine luxury ro-ro passenger ships, setting a new record for the largest single overseas stabilizer fin order secured by a Chinese shipbuilding enterprise. As of now, the company holds over 80% of the domestic market share, and its products have been successfully included in the "Shipbuilding Industry Strong Chain Brand Product Catalog (2024)," fully demonstrating the reputation, influence, and competitiveness of domestic ship attitude control equipment in the high-end ro-ro passenger ship market.