China’s Henghui Shipping has reportedly ordered up to four 38,000-dwt multipurpose heavy-lift vessels from Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries, better known as ZPMC, as the port-equipment manufacturer seeks to build a broader position in specialised ship construction.

The agreement is understood to cover two firm vessels and options for two additional units, according to a Splash report. Contract prices and delivery dates have not been disclosed. Neither Henghui nor ZPMC had published an accessible announcement confirming the commercial terms at the time of writing.

Each vessel is reported to be equipped with three 250-tonne cranes, providing a combined lifting capacity of 500 tonnes. The design includes two extended cargo holds, with the longest measuring 76.8 metres, as well as a continuous open deck for oversized machinery and project cargo.

The specification would allow the ships to carry a mixture of breakbulk, industrial equipment and long or heavy components that cannot be readily accommodated aboard conventional bulk carriers or containerships. The open deck and long cargo hold could also make the vessels suitable for wind-energy cargoes, although no employment contracts or intended trades have been disclosed.

Energy-saving features are said to include rudder bulbs, wake-equalising ducts and an optimised hull form. A high-voltage shore-power connection would allow the ships to use electricity from the local grid where suitable port infrastructure is available, reducing the need to run auxiliary engines while alongside.

The order is significant for ZPMC because it appears to bring a second customer to the company’s emerging multipurpose heavy-lift shipbuilding business.

ZPMC, internationally known for container cranes and other port-handling equipment, entered this segment with a four-vessel programme for Chinese-Polish operator Chipolbrok. The first ship in that series was launched at ZPMC’s Qidong Marine Engineering facility in May 2026.

According to ZPMC’s official project description, the Chipolbrok vessels are 182 metres long and 30 metres wide, with two cargo holds and the same 76.8-metre maximum hold length. Those ships, however, carry three ZPMC-built 350-tonne cranes and can lift up to 700 tonnes in tandem, making their lifting package more powerful than the specification reported for Henghui.

The comparison suggests that the Henghui ships may use a related 38,000-dwt hull and cargo arrangement rather than being exact copies. Adapting a proven platform to different crane capacities and operating requirements could help ZPMC control design and construction costs while offering owners greater flexibility.

Two of the Chipolbrok vessels, Wyspiański and Chełmoński, were named on August 28. Chipolbrok said the four-ship series was designed for oversized cargoes including wind turbine components, construction machinery and industrial equipment. The owner confirmed that all four vessels in that programme were either completed or under construction.

For ZPMC, winning follow-on business would be an early test of whether its first heavy-lift project can be developed into a commercially repeatable product. Its existing expertise in large cranes, offshore equipment and complex steel structures gives it an industrial base relevant to heavy-lift shipping, particularly where vessel design and cargo-handling systems must be closely integrated.

The reported Henghui order would expand that opportunity, but key details remain outstanding. Delivery timing, classification, propulsion arrangements, financing and the identity of the crane supplier have yet to be confirmed. Until the contracting parties disclose those terms, the two optional vessels should also be treated separately from the two reported firm orders.