A Look at the Advanced Shipbuilding Factory in Dalian, China

Located in the Changxing Island Economic Zone in Dalian, Liaoning Province, northeast China, the Hengli Heavy Industries industrial area launched the ‘Ocean Factory’, an eco-friendly shipbuilding base, in early 2023. The ‘Future Factory’ within the industrial zone is set to begin operations in early 2025, specialising in the manufacturing of high-value, environmentally friendly vessels, ranging from ultra-large crude carriers and ultra-large liquefied gas carriers to ultra-large container ships, as well as advanced marine engineering equipment.

Within the industrial area, various cutting-edge technologies, such as welding robots, automated cutting systems, and dynamic automated steel plate marking, are widely implemented throughout the factory. Various industrial data collection terminals are installed across dry docks, workshops, and piers. By leveraging advanced technologies, such as industrial data acquisition, IoT sensing, and on-site private 5G networks, the entire factory has achieved the digitalisation of production-related factors and enhanced operational management.