A 33,000-ton bulk vessel called "Yinghao 1" was launched in Sanmen Bay in Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province, on Feb 24. It is the first ship over 10,000 tons to be launched in the city in this year.

The vessel is energy-efficient, has a large carrying capacity, and can travel through both rivers and oceans. It will be delivered to Dongguan Yinghao Shipping Co Ltd in Guangdong province, according to Li Qianfei, chairman of Zhejiang Xinzhou Shipbuilding Co Ltd.

Xinzhou, a leading private shipbuilder in Taizhou, relocated its headquarters from Jiaojiang district to Sanmen in January 2018.

The company reported revenue of 300 million yuan ($44.77 million) last year, more than four times that in 2018.

Li said that the shipbuilder needs to begin operating at full capacity in order to complete all its orders by May.

In March, the company will start construction on six vessels, with a total contractual value of 350 million yuan.

In early January, the company signed a deal worth more than 400 million yuan with Zhejiang Xiehai Group Co Ltd. The latter decided to purchase four bulk vessels, each weighing 47,500 metric tons, from Xinzhou. This was Taizhou’s “heaviest” deal ever. 

Estimates for Xinzhou’s revenue this year range from 400 to 500 million yuan, according to Li.

A total of 262 of the company’s employees have resumed work, with another 850 to return soon.

Returning workers are required to register their personal information, wear face masks, and have their temperatures taken on a daily basis.

A 33,000-ton bulk vessel called "Yinghao 1" is launched in Sanmen Bay in Taizhou on Feb 24. [Photo/taizhou.com.cn]