Chinese shipyards progressed several tug construction projects, including deliveries, in the run up to the Lunar New Year festive period
Two Chinese tug builders launched and delivered tugboats in the first six weeks of 2026.
With the festive period of the Lunar New Year approaching, these projects will temporarily be put on hold before launches and deliveries resume after the holidays.
Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard group delivered two azimuth stern drive (ASD) tugs, launched another and laid the keel for three tugboats for Chinese owners.
Taicang Port Changhai Shipping welcomed Tai Gang Tuo 18 to its growing fleet after its construction by the shipyard in Jiangsu province. This 40-m vessel has 4,854 kW of installed propulsion power, a beam of 11 m, a depth of 5 m, a bollard pull ahead of 81 tonnes and a top speed of 14 knots.
Also in January, Jiangyin Chengang Tug Shipping took delivery of ASD tugboat Cheng Gang Tuo 7, with 3,676 kW of power, an overall length of 37 m, a beam of 10 m, a depth of 5 m, an ahead bollard pull of 68 tonnes and a speed of 15 knots.
On 7 February, Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard launched a 4,710-kW ASD tugboat, Tai Xing Xiao Tuo 9, by crane lift after it was built for Taixing Port Group Terminal Operation Management Co. It will be completed, commissioned, tested at sea and delivered to the owner after the New Year celebrations.
Cheoy Lee Shipyards has delivered another vessel in a series of harbour tugs it is building for Singapore-headquartered PSA Marine.
PSA Volans was built at the company’s shipyard in Zhuhai, China, to a Z-Tech 6000 design by Robert Allan Ltd with a double-drum winch on the forward deck for ship handling in harbours.
According to automatic identification system (AIS) data, this 30-m, 397-gt tug was sailing to Singapore in mid-February. It is the sister tug to PSA Vela, which was built to the same design and delivered to PSA Marine on 18 December by Cheoy Lee, to operate in Singapore.
In Q4 2025, Cheoy Lee delivered two further Z-Tech 6000 ASD tugs to PSA Marine, PSA Pegasus and PSA Pisces, with all operating in Singapore according to AIS data.
Construction progress
Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard’s latest tug-building milestone was laying the keel of an ASD tugboat on 11 February, with 4,780 kW of power, for China’s National Hazardous Chemicals Emergency Rescue Gulei Team. This vessel is likely to be launched this year and delivered early in 2027.
In January, Zhenjiang Shipyard laid the keel for an ASD tugboat with 3,676 kW of power for Jiangsu Anhang Shipping Co and another with 2,942 kW for Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co.
Also in January, steel was cut on an ASD tug with 4,780 kW of power for an unnamed owner, and a 5,300-kW ASD tugboat for Fujian Fugang Tug Shipping Co.
In addition to tug building, Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard group has been building offshore support vessels for Singaporean owners and floating cranes for COSCO Shipping Bulk Cargo Transportation Co.
On 8 February, the shipyard group launched 78-m floating crane Yick Da and on 26 January, it launched 112-m floating crane Yick Min, all part of a fifth batch of vessels it is building to support COSCO’s bauxite exports from Guinea.
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