Changhong International has launched the ninth vessel in its series of 115,000-tonne product and crude oil tankers, with the ceremony taking place at the shipbuilder’s No. 1 horizontal slipway in Zhoushan, China, on 15 July.

The vessel, CHB3016, is being built for Greek shipowner Navios and was launched at 10:58am local time. Representatives from classification society ABS, the shipowner’s on-site supervision team, and company leaders and department heads attended the ceremony.

The vessel is a new-generation LR2 Aframax deep-well pump-type oil tanker, classed by ABS. It measures approximately 249.9 metres in overall length, with a beam of 44 metres and a depth of 21.5 metres.

According to Changhong International, the vessel has been developed in line with the latest regulations and is designed to allow future conversion to alternative fuels, including methanol and LNG, in addition to conventional fuel oil. The tanker is also fitted with provision for high-voltage shore connection (HVSC) for the use of auxiliary generators during port berthing — designed to help reduce air pollution, including CO₂ and sulphur oxide (SOx) emissions.