On May 12th, the delivery ceremony for the first set of 920mm cylinder diameter marine crankshaft forge pieces in China was held in the 10,000-ton press workshop of Shanghai Electric SHMP Casting & Forging Co., Ltd. (“SCF”). Sheng Jigang, Member of the Party Group and Deputy General Manager of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, and Jin Xiaolong, Member of the Party Committee and Vice President of Shanghai Electric, attended the ceremony.

For a long time, China had relied entirely on import for large-scale marine diesel engine crankshaft forge pieces with a cylinder diameter of 700mm and above, and domestic manufacturers only had the ability to produce forge pieces for models with a cylinder diameter of 600mm and below. With the development of ultra-large-scale ships for ocean shipping, marine diesel engines with a cylinder diameter of 900mm and above have become mainstream in the market. The ability to produce such ultra-large-scale marine diesel engines domestically has become one of the key factors restricting China’s transformation from a “major shipbuilding country” to a “strong shipbuilding power.” The “Special Project for Capacity Enhancement and Innovation of Marine Engines” released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in 2022 clearly stated the requirements for the domestic manufacturing of large-scale marine crankshaft forge pieces.

Focusing on national strategy, Shanghai Electric has strengthened strategic cooperation with China State Shipbuilding Corporation. Shanghai Electric’s subsidiary, the SCF, has concentrated its advantageous resources and made full efforts in the research, development, and manufacturing of large-scale crankshaft forge pieces with a diameter of 920mm. It has successfully developed a series of key technologies such as high-purity smelting, precision forging and bending, high-strength organizational performance control, and large-section flame rapid cutting of crankshaft forgings for large marine diesel engines, achieving efficient domestic manufacturing of crankshaft forge pieces for large marine diesel engines with a cylinder diameter of 700mm and above. Shanghai Marine Crankshaft Co., Ltd., through equipment upgrading and transformation, unleashing the potential manufacturing capacity, and other innovative measures, has rapidly increased its manufacturing capacity for large cylinder diameter crankshafts, fully ensuring the safety and stability of China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s supply chain.

The delivery of the first set of 920mm cylinder diameter marine crankshaft forge pieces is a significant achievement in Shanghai Electric and China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s efforts to realize the goal of building a “strong shipbuilding power.” It is a model of strong cooperation in the ship power and high-end equipment manufacturing fields by leveraging industry, technology, and resource advantages. It lays a solid foundation for building a safe and controllable industrial chain and supply chain for ship power, enhances international competitiveness, and promotes the high-quality development of both parties.