On 30 September 2026, “GUO QIANG HAI”, the first domestic newbuilding awarded China Classification Society’s (CCS) GSC1 class notation for newbuilding carbon footprint, was named and delivered. Senior representatives from COSCO SHIPPING Bulk Co., Ltd., COSCO SHIPPING Development Co., Ltd., COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. and other relevant organizations attended the ceremony. Mr. Xing Fanhui from CCS Dalian Branch also attended as an invited guest.

Built by Dalian COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. for Hainan COSCO SHIPPING Development Navigation Company Limited, “GUO QIANG HAI” is the ninth vessel in a series of 80,000 DWT multipurpose grain carriers. The vessel is equipped with intelligent navigation, equipment condition monitoring and energy efficiency management systems, and incorporates multiple technical optimizations in exhaust gas treatment and emissions control, as well as intelligent ship management and control. These improvements enhance safety management during ocean voyages and operational energy efficiency. The vessel represents a new generation of oceangoing bulk carriers combining green and low-carbon performance with safety, intelligent operation and economic efficiency.

The delivery marks China’s first completion of the full process of carbon footprint survey and technical review for a newbuilding, and CCS’s first completed survey in this field. This milestone supports the green and low-carbon transition of China’s shipbuilding industry and the establishment of a standardized framework for managing ship carbon footprints. It also provides a practical model for advancing low-carbon standardization and market-oriented development across the industry.

Throughout construction, CCS worked closely with the shipbuilder. The project ensured the authenticity and accuracy of the data in the vessel’s carbon footprint report, the compliance of the accounting methods, and the validity and reliability of the conclusions. Using the shipbuilding industry carbon footprint management system independently developed by CCS, the project partners jointly completed the entire workflow, from data collection and consolidation to model development, calculations and analysis, and report generation. This made the newbuilding’s carbon footprint quantifiable, traceable and verifiable, culminating in CCS’s first completed newbuilding carbon footprint survey and the award of the GSC1 class notation. The project provides a practical benchmark for standardized carbon footprint surveys and the commercial delivery of related services.

Going forward, CCS will continue to promote wider adoption of the GSC1 class notation for newbuilding carbon footprint and further enhance its integrated capabilities in carbon footprint accounting, surveys and platform services. Through coordinated efforts across the industry chain, CCS will provide comprehensive survey services and technical support for subsequent projects, continuing to support the green, low-carbon and high-quality development of the shipbuilding and shipping industries.