Zhoushan LNG Terminal Refreshes Domestic Fastest Unloading Record

Recently, the Panama-flagged vessel "Qinglong" departed from the New Ocean Zhoushan LNG Receiving Terminal after completing the unloading of nearly 140,000 cubic meters of liquefied natural gas. The entire operation took only 21 hours and 46 minutes, setting a new domestic record for the fastest full unloading of a vessel of this type.

It is worth mentioning that the "Qinglong" was the first vessel to be received at the New Ocean Zhoushan LNG Receiving Terminal after its construction and has visited the terminal multiple times in recent years. The unloading time has improved significantly, from an average of over 27 hours to the current 21 hours and 46 minutes, marking a leap forward and witnessing the iterative upgrade of Zhoushan LNG terminal's unloading capacity and a qualitative improvement in port service efficiency.

To ensure the efficient operation of the "Qinglong," the Zhoushan Port and Maritime Affairs Administration took proactive measures and targeted efforts to address bottlenecks in the entire process, providing strong support for achieving this record-breaking speed.

The administration formed a specialized senior pilot team, conducted comprehensive assessments of tides, weather, and the vessel's technical condition, and refined the piloting plan to ensure the vessel's safe and efficient berthing and departure. Leveraging the port's integrated supervision and information service platform, they implemented a "report-and-review-on-the-spot, rapid approval" process, significantly reducing approval times. They adopted a "offline supervision + online inspection" model to ensure both safety and efficiency in loading and unloading operations. Additionally, they actively coordinated with Zhoushan Customs, border inspection, maritime authorities, and other units to establish a seamless operational "support chain." They also guided the New Ocean Zhoushan LNG Receiving Terminal to utilize its prior technical expertise to simulate and rehearse the entire process of vessel berthing, unloading connection, and equipment scheduling, ensuring a swift transition to unloading operations after berthing.

This breakthrough in the unloading efficiency of the "Qinglong" reflects the maturity of Zhoushan's multi-departmental coordination mechanism for port-related operations. It also highlights the significant achievements of Zhoushan in continuously optimizing its port business environment characterized by "optimal service, lowest costs, and highest efficiency." This lays a solid foundation for enhancing the seasonal peak-shaving capacity of natural gas in the East China region and supports Zhejiang Free Trade Zone's efforts to build a hub for bulk commodity resource allocation.

Moving forward, the Zhoushan Port and Maritime Affairs Administration will continue to conduct innovative research on LNG port operation processes, promote efficient multi-departmental collaboration, and gradually replicate and extend these experiences to bulk cargo operations such as coal and grain. This will continuously improve the efficiency of port operations for bulk commodities and energy materials, providing stronger port support to ensure national energy security and contribute to high-quality regional development.