“Bohai Emerald Pearl” 2300P/2500LM RoPax (RORO Passenger Ferry (ROPAX Vessel)

The “Bohai Emerald Pearl” passenger and roll-on/roll-off ship, which was the largest in scale and the longest in travelling distance in China to date, started its maiden voyage on the morning of August 8, 2012 at the Yantai Port of east China’s Shandong Province. Different from ordinary ships, the 36,000-ton-water-displacement civilian passenger and roll-on/roll-off ship was in accordance with the national defense requirements in its design and construction so that it can project organic troop units and heavy equipment.

According to the PLA briefing, the 178-meter-long and 28-meter-wide ship can carry 2,000-plus persons and can be loaded with over 300 vehicles of various sizes one time. Apart from the passenger cabin, it has a 2500-m driveway and a 3-storey vehicle hold. It is able to hold more than 300 cars and 2038 passengers. The “Bohai Emerald Pearl” is the first ship of its class, and the three additional passenger and roll-on/roll-off ships with the same water displacement are now under construction, which all follow the national defense requirements.

According to Rong Xianwen, director of the Military Transportation Department under the Jinan Military Area Command (MAC) of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the passenger and roll-on/roll-off ship is the most optimal ship type in maritime transportation of military troops as it possesses the advantages including large transportation quantity and high loading efficiency. It is not only the means of transportation, but also a temporary barrack. Such type of ship is often recruited in the military operations in western developed countries.

This is a new leap forward in enhancing PLA’s strategic projection capability by civilian ships,” said Zhang Wei, director of the Military Transportation Department under the PLA General Logistics Department, “It boasts an important significance in ensuring troop units to fulfill diversified missions.”

Although the civilian ro-ro ship is suitable for the transport of military equipment and personnel, due to the fact that the ro-ro ship relies on port facilities for unloading, it function as an amphibious assault ship, and at best, can only be used for the logistics and transportation.

"Bohai Sea Green Pearl" conducted a loading walkthrough. Reporters at the scene saw, dozens of armored vehicles, artillery, vehicles and other heavy equipment followed by "drilling" cabin. There are three decks of the ship for vehicles - each deck is spacious, and even with dozens of main battle equipment parked, it is not at all crowded.

In 2010, informed that the 36,000 gross ton ferry was in the planning and construction stage, military Transportation Department of Jinan military region actively coordinated, carry out the requirements of national defense made specific proposals. In the demonstration project, in the process of designing and building the ship, they consulted troops' opinions, based on actual demand equipment technical parameters and loading and transportation, and made improving the communication command system, upgrading mount items, such as specific needs, an additional helicopter landing platform, reserved for wartime medical care establishments.

With the continuous improvement in the living standards, and travel requirements for ro-ro passenger ship is getting higher - the safe, luxurious, and comfortable ro-ro passenger ship is welcomed by more and more people. The "Bohai Sea Emerald Pearl" has 2 first class staterooms, 13 second class staterooms, and other levels to meet the needs of different visitors. "Bohai Sea Emerald Pearl" was designed and built with some of the characteristics of the combines cruise ship. Equipped with 3 elevators for the first time, visitors can take the elevator to easily reach each deck of the ship, which greatly facilitates the older passengers, and permites more convenient baggage and passenger embarkation. The Principal, first class, second class were fitted with French Windows observation balconies, so guests patrons can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the sea. Ships also have big entertainment, KTV soft boxes, chess and cards room, café, reading room, Internet Cafe, multi-purpose Auditorium, a large and pleasant tourist promenade deck and other leisure entertainment readily available to allow passengers to travel in safety while, enjoy sea-star hotel services.

In February 2010 Bohai Ferry Co., Ltd. ordered four MAN 16V32/40CD propulsion plants to power two passenger vessels to supplement its fleet. The four-stroke engines were built at MAN Diesel’s production center in Augsburg, Germany, and operate at 750 rpm, providing a total of 16 MW of installed power for the 2300P/2500LM RoPax vessels. The ferries were built at Huanghai Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., in RongCheng City, Shandong Province, and the order included an option for two other vessels. Bohai Ferry Co., Ltd. also ordered twin-screw, controllable pitch propeller (CPP) propulsion systems from Alpha, suitable for ice class B. The MAN Diesel scope of supply includes two single-stage reduction gearboxes from Renk for each vessel. Delivery of the propulsion systems was expected to take place in the first half of 2011.

The launching ceremony of the international luxury RO-RO Passenger Ship "Bohai Cuizhu" was held in Dalian, a port city of northeast China's Liaoning province, July 9, 2012. The ship, made for Bohai Ferry Co Ltd, was put into operation between the coastal cities of Dalian and Yantai.

The roll-on/roll-off luxury passenger liner Bohai Crystal, the second unit of this class, was built for Bohai Ferry Co Ltd in Weihai, Shandong province. It cost the company 400 million yuan ($62.88 million) and was the largest, most advanced, safest, and most luxurious roll-on/roll-off passenger liner in China.

The Bohai Sea ferry company limited spent nearly 800 million Yuan to build the two luxury ro-ro passenger ships of international standards -- "Bohai Sea Emeraald Pearl" and " Bohai Sea Crystal Pearl". The inaugural " Bohai Sea Green Pearl" round overall 178.8 metres long, 28 meters wide, the total tonnage was 35,000 tons. Compared to the main ship types with the current route, the ship's gross tonnage exceeding 10,000 tons, and it carries 2038 passengers. The three vehicle cabins are 4.85 meters in height, lane length 2,500 metres, and can contain more than 300 vehicles. IT is capable of containing super long and super high and super wide special vehicles - vehicles up to 50 meters long, 4.85 meters wide and 8 meters high, weighing 120 tons. These are Asia's largest and most advanced, safest, most luxurious, most loading capacity ro-ro passenger ships.