A 307,000-ton very large crude carrier (VLCC) was delivered on Wednesday in Dalian, Liaoning province, to South Korean owner Cido Shipping.

Produced by Dalian Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), the vessel Empire Hope represents the latest generation of China's independently developed VLCC design.

With a length of approximately 333 meters and a width of 60 meters, the vessel boasts a deck area exceeding 18,000 square meters and a depth of 30 meters. From keel to bridge, the ship stands as tall as a 20-story building. Its total coating area surpasses 540,000 square meters, the equivalent of 76 standard soccer fields.

Designed with port and waterway adaptability, the ship can carry over 2 million barrels of crude oil at a design draft of 20.5 meters while transiting the Strait of Malacca, according to Bi Hongkun, project manager at CSSC Dalian Shipbuilding.

The combined improvements, including a six-cylinder main engine and an exhaust gas desulfurization system, dramatically boost energy efficiency and environmental performance, with key indicators reaching world-class levels, he said.

Sources from the company said China's VLCC technology is undergoing continuous iteration. Future vessels will incorporate new green fuels and third-generation wind-assisted propulsion technology to meet the latest global environmental requirements.