82,000 DWT Bulk Carrier — Cargo Hold Air Cooler Supply Case Study
Table of Contents
Hicool was contracted to supply a complete cargo hold ventilation and cooling package for a series of 82,000 DWT Handymax bulk carriers being built at a domestic Chinese shipyard. The project required 40 air cooler units across 5 vessels, all with CCS type approval certification.
The Challenge
The shipyard needed a reliable supplier who could deliver CCS-certified air coolers on a tight 4-month production schedule across all 5 vessels. Previous suppliers had experienced delays in CCS witness testing, causing costly schedule slippage. The coolers needed to handle tropical ambient conditions (45°C design temperature) while maintaining cargo hold temperatures below 25°C.
Our Solution
We sourced DJ-80 and DD-60 series air cooler units from our partner factory in Zhejiang, a facility with an existing CCS Quality Management Certificate. This eliminated the factory audit step and allowed us to proceed directly to type testing.
Vessel #1
- Vessel Type82,000 DWT Bulk Carrier
- ShipyardDomestic Chinese shipyard
- Units Supplied8 × DJ-80 Air Coolers
- Cooling Capacity80 kW per unit (640 kW total)
- RefrigerantR404A
- Delivery Time28 days (incl. CCS witness test)
Results
- On-time delivery: All 5 vessel sets delivered within the 4-month window
- Zero defects: 100% pass rate on CCS witness testing
- Cost savings: 22% below the European alternative quotation
- Repeat orders: Shipyard placed follow-on order for 3 additional vessels
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | DJ-80 | DD-60 |
|---|---|---|
| Cooling Capacity | 80 kW | 60 kW |
| Air Volume | 18,000 m³/h | 12,000 m³/h |
| Fan Motor | 3 × 2.2 kW | 2 × 2.2 kW |
| Fin Spacing | 6 mm | 6 mm |
| Tube Material | Copper | Copper |
| Operating Pressure | 2.0 MPa | 2.0 MPa |
| Weight | 380 kg | 280 kg |
Frequently Asked Questions
What certification was required?
CCS (China Classification Society) type approval was mandatory as all vessels were Chinese-flagged. Each batch required CCS surveyor witness testing at the factory.
How was the delivery schedule managed across 5 vessels?
We coordinated with the factory to stagger production in 3-week intervals, aligning with the shipyard hull completion schedule. CCS testing was pre-booked to avoid surveyor availability delays.
Qiangbin Zhu
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