The world's largest pile-driving vessel Erhang Changqing. [Photo/WeChat account: qidongfabu]

The world's largest pile-driving vessel Erhang Changqing was delivered in Qidong, Jiangsu province, on Jan 5, marking a milestone in China's marine engineering equipment manufacturing industry.

The vessel boasts the world's tallest derrick at its stern, offering the largest piling capacity and strongest resistance to wind and waves, with 130.5 meters in length, 40.8 meters in width, and 8.4 meters in depth.

This impressive vessel was funded by the Second Harbor Engineering Co Ltd under China Communications Construction Co Ltd and was constructed by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co Ltd.

A pile-driving vessel comprises three primary components: the hull, the derrick, and the oil cylinder. The oil cylinder plays a critical role in facilitating the movement of the pile frame, making it an indispensable element of the vessel's operation.

The oil cylinder of the Erhang Changqing was developed under the guidance of CCCC Second Harbor Engineering Co. It possesses a weight of 385 tonnes, a diameter of nearly 2 meters, and a length of 28 meters. This construction distinguishes it as the heaviest and tallest oil cylinder utilized in pile-driving vessels in the world.