A Major Collaboration between Hunan and Guangxi Provinces! Why Did Guilin's Shipbuilding Technology Impress Dongjiang Lake?

(Guangxi Cloud - Guangxi Daily/GZW.Guilin (Google Translation)) On March 26, the Management Committee of Zixing Economic Development Zone, Hunan Province, and Dongjiang Lake Tourism Development Group, together with core enterprises in the industrial chain such as Hunan Tiancheng Hydrogen Energy, formed a joint government-enterprise delegation to conduct a special investigation at Guilin Wuzhou Tourism Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Guilin Wuzhou"). Focusing on the theme of "jointly building a green and intelligent shipbuilding industrial chain," the delegation engaged in in-depth exchanges on the manufacturing of straight-wing propeller equipment, demonstration operation of hydrogen-powered ships, and regional industrial synergy, striving to create a cross-provincial green shipping demonstration corridor between Guilin and Dongjiang Lake.

This visit served as a return visit to the Zixing Economic Development Zone, following previous exchanges with Guilin Wuzhou Tourism Co., Ltd., and also as a further exchange and discussion on cooperation. It represented a collision of industrial ecosystems covering the entire chain of "technology—manufacturing—scenario—capital." Guilin Wuzhou, as one of the few innovative companies listed on the National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ) within the Guangxi state-owned assets system possessing full-chain capabilities in "R&D + manufacturing + operation," showcased its core strengths in the field of green shipbuilding.

The delegation visited Guilin Yichi Shipbuilding Technology Co., Ltd. (a straight-wing propeller R&D base) and Guilin Lihang Shipbuilding Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (a new energy ship intelligent manufacturing base), both subsidiaries of Guilin Wuzhou Group, focusing on the R&D progress and industrialization achievements of the core equipment, the "omnidirectional straight-wing propeller." This technology has obtained Guangxi's first (set) of major technical equipment certification and has been applied to new energy cruise ships and maritime law enforcement vessels on the Lijiang River. Its shallow draft and high maneuverability are highly compatible with the ecological protection needs of inland lakes such as Dongjiang Lake.

A relevant official from the Zixing Economic Development Zone Management Committee in Hunan Province explained: "Dongjiang Lake, as a national strategic water source, has extremely high requirements for the environmental protection and quietness of ships. Guilin Wuzhou's straight-wing propulsion technology, combined with our layout in the hydrogen energy industry, is the best technological path to create 'zero-carbon water tourism'."

Hunan Tiancheng Hydrogen Energy Technology Industry Co., Ltd., a leading enterprise in the hydrogen energy industry in Chenzhou, participated in a technical seminar with Shanghai Hydrogen Ocean Technology. The two parties explored the feasibility of jointly building an industrial chain in Guilin or Zixing, focusing on the development of a ship type with "hydrogen power + omnidirectional straight-wing propulsion".

At the exchange meeting, Liu Guidong, General Manager of Guilin Wuzhou, introduced that Guilin Wuzhou, in collaboration with research institutes, successfully completed the trial voyage of the world's first "Daba·Methanol-Hydrogen Powered No. 1" vessel on the Li River in July 2025. This vessel utilizes "online reforming technology for hydrogen production from bioethanol," representing a significant leap forward for my country in the field of hydrogen-powered ships and opening up a new path for the green and low-carbon transformation of the shipbuilding industry. The head of Hunan Tiancheng Hydrogen Energy stated that Hunan Tiancheng Hydrogen Energy is committed to creating a "hydrogen tourism" demonstration scenario. If the two companies can reach a cooperation agreement, it is hoped that Guilin Wuzhou's shipbuilding capabilities and Yichi's propulsion system can be combined with Tiancheng Hydrogen Energy's energy solutions to customize a nationally leading hydrogen/ethanol-hydrogen cruise ship for Dongjiang Lake, replicating the green shipping model of the Li River.

"We are not just buying ships, but also jointly establishing standards," said a representative from Dongjiang Lake Tourism Development Group. "By introducing mature technologies and manufacturing experience from Guilin, we can accelerate the comprehensive green upgrade of Dongjiang Lake's ships and achieve a win-win situation for ecological protection and cultural tourism experience."

During the discussion, Wei Qiang, Party Secretary and Chairman of Guilin Wuzhou, elaborated on the company's "15th Five-Year Plan" development strategy, aiming to transform from a traditional shipbuilder into a "green and intelligent ship full-chain solution provider." This exchange and discussion with Zixing is precisely the company's attempt to put this strategy into practice.

Both parties engaged in in-depth discussions on business models and capital linkages, exploring innovative models such as BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer), financial leasing, and EPC+O (Engineering, Construction, and Operation) to alleviate the pressure of one-time investment in scenic areas and achieve long-term benefits through operational revenue sharing. Furthermore, leveraging Guilin Wuzhou's position on the NEEQ Innovation Layer and its clear path to listing on the Beijing Stock Exchange, the two sides can collaborate with industry funds to attract social capital to support the research and development and deployment of hydrogen-powered ships.

Wei Qiang stated that the Li River in Guilin and Dongjiang Lake in Chenzhou are jointly painting a new picture of green shipping. Both areas are key regions for national ecological protection and green development. This exchange between Guilin and Hunan is not only about technological cooperation between the two companies, but also about the coordinated development of new productive forces between the regions. With the construction of the Pinglu Canal and the accelerated greening of inland waterway shipping, Guilin Wuzhou, using the "omnidirectional straight-wing propeller" as its core technology, is promoting "Guilin-made" green ships to a wider market through cross-provincial cooperation. READ MORE