According to the Guangdong Zhuhai Maritime Bureau, with full support from maritime authorities, Asia's first deepwater pipelaying vessel, the "Haiji II," designed and constructed independently by China, departed from Zhuhai Gaolan Port at noon on March 22nd. It is heading towards China's first deepwater oilfield, the Luhua 11-1/4-1 oilfield, for installation.
The Asia's first deepwater pipe rack, "Haiji No. 2", smoothly departed from Zhuhai Gaolan Port. The pipe rack, with a total length of 338.5 meters and a weight of 36,430 tons, was recently constructed at the marine equipment manufacturing base in Zhuhai Gaolan Port. It sets new records in Asia in terms of structural height, weight, operating water depth, and construction speed, indicating that China's capability in independently designing and constructing deepwater ultra-large pipe rack platforms has reached a world-leading level.
The departure of "Haiji No. 2" involved the coordination of 10 high-horsepower tugboats. The towing operation was time-consuming, required a wide navigational channel, and was limited by maneuverability, as well as encountering narrow passages and complex maritime traffic in certain waterways. This posed high demands on navigation safety assurance. To ensure the smooth departure of this "marine heavyweight," maritime authorities conducted a "three-dimensional patrol" using VTS (Vessel Traffic Service) combined with drones and coast guard ships to escort the towing fleet, ultimately assisting "Haiji No. 2" in departing safely.
It is reported that after departure, "Haiji No. 2" will sail to the Flow Flower 11-1/4-1 oilfield in the Pearl River Mouth Basin for offshore installation as part of the field's second-phase development project.
