The bidirectional transhipment vessel WONTANARA (Hull No. CX9403) was delivered to its owner on 21 Jul 2026 at ChengXi Shipyard in Jiangsu Province, China. The delivery followed a joint effort by Chinese, Norwegian and German project teams, according to a LinkedIn post by Uwe Heine. The vessel has a gross tonnage of approximately 41,800 tons. According to a CGTN report cited in the announcement, WONTANARA sets three world records: it is the largest shallow-water self-unloader, the fastest unloading vessel, and the first ship of its size capable of sailing in both directions. The bidirectional design allows the vessel to operate without the need to turn around, a feature aimed at improving efficiency in shallow-water transhipment operations where maneuvering space may be limited. Self-unloading vessels of this type are typically used to transfer bulk cargo, such as ore or coal, between larger vessels and shallow ports or coastal terminals that cannot accommodate deep-draft ships. ChengXi Shipyard, located in Jiangsu Province, is known for building specialized vessels including dredgers, transhipment ships and other bulk-handling tonnage. No further technical specifications, such as cargo capacity, length or the vessel's intended trading route, were disclosed in the announcement.
