On December 17th, the "Tong Jun," Asia's largest trailing suction hopper dredger built by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Group (ZPMC) for CCCC Tianjin Dredging Co., Ltd., departed from ZPMC’s offshore engineering wharf, officially embarking on a new mission to serve national marine engineering construction. This mega vessel, integrating dredging and reclamation capabilities, marks China’s advancement into the world’s top tier in trailing suction hopper dredger manufacturing, injecting strong momentum into deep-sea development, waterway upgrades, and coastal infrastructure projects.
The vessel was coordinated, constructed, and conceptually designed by CCCC Dredging, invested in and led in design and construction by CCCC Tianjin Dredging, with the National Engineering Research Center for Dredging Technology and Equipment handling the design-build contract and developing its intelligent dredging system. Designed by the 708th Research Institute of China State Shipbuilding Corporation and built by ZPMC, it is China’s first independently designed and constructed ultra-large trailing suction hopper dredger with a hopper capacity of 35,000 cubic meters.
The "Tong Jun" measures 198 meters in length, 38.5 meters in width, and 18 meters in depth, with a maximum dredging depth of 120 meters and a hopper capacity of 35,000 cubic meters—equivalent to 18 standard swimming pools—ranking first in Asia. Equipped with core technologies such as the "One-Click Dredging" and "Integrated Dredging-Navigation-Survey" intelligent systems, a "One-Drag-Two" compound power propulsion system, and an intelligent energy efficiency management system, the vessel enables a single crew member to handle all navigation and operational tasks, achieving full automation in dredging operations with world-leading intelligent control capabilities. It also features a methanol dual-fuel power system preserve, excelling in efficient dredging, precise slurry discharge, and deep-water operations. Under normal working conditions, the "Tong Jun" can fill its hopper in just 90 minutes, boasting world-leading loading efficiency and a total deadweight of nearly 60,000 tons—comparable to the displacement of China’s aircraft carrier "Liaoning."
As a benchmark product filling the technological gap for trailing suction hopper dredgers with 35,000 cubic meters or larger capacity in China, the "Tong Jun" is widely applicable in port and waterway dredging, land reclamation, coastal maintenance, deep-sea sand extraction, and deep-sea trench excavation and backfilling. It provides core equipment support for China’s maritime power strategy and Belt and Road-related projects, significantly enhancing the international competitiveness of China’s dredging equipment.
With the deepening of China’s maritime power strategy and the upgrading demands in dredging projects, China’s dredging equipment manufacturing sector has overcome core technological barriers, achieving a historic leap from "catching up" to "keeping pace" and even "leading the way." Marine engineering construction is now trending toward large-scale, intelligent, and green high-quality development. The "Tong Jun" is another masterpiece in dredging equipment crafted by ZPMC, following the "Tian Kun" and "New Sea Sturgeon." Moving forward, ZPMC will focus on the high-end, intelligent, and green development of offshore engineering equipment, increase R&D investment, drive technological upgrades, and forge more national mega-equipment to support the high-quality growth of China’s marine economy.
