At precisely 16:00 on April 5, 2010, the 6,800-tonne “CABALLO MAYA” dive support vessel slid smoothly into the waters off Vung Tau, Vietnam, marking the world’s first successful airbag launch of a large offshore vessel from an 82-meter-high inclined platform. This engineering feat by Qingdao Eversafe Marine Engineering Co. Ltd not only set a Vietnamese shipbuilding record but also demonstrated China’s technological leadership in global marine auxiliary systems.

I. Technical Breakthrough: Conquering the 82m Vertical Challenge

As a flagship project of Australian shipbuilding giant STRATEGIC MARINE, the 143m-long vessel posed unprecedented launch challenges:

  • Platform Design: Built on 6m-spaced concrete piles with gravel infill, ending in an 82m vertical drop

  • Traditional Limitations: Conventional slipway launching risked hull fracture; hydraulic transporter costs exceeded USD 10M

Qingdao Evergreen’s Solution:

  1. Custom Airbag Matrix: 68 reinforced airbags (Ø2.5m, 300T/unit capacity)

  2. Multi-Stage Synchronized Lifting: Hydraulic system with ±2mm precision control

  3. Adaptive Slope Compensation: Dynamic pressure regulation for 1:10 gradient

  4. Real-Time Monitoring: 200-sensor network tracking structural stress

II. 72-Hour Operation Timeline

  • Mar 28: Engineering team arrives with 3D laser scanners for platform modeling

  • Apr 1: Finalizes 5-phase launch plan aligning with tidal window (0.8-knot ebb current)

  • Apr 3: Commences lifting operation with 12 synchronized jacks (8-hour duration)

  • Apr 4: “Step-by-Step” lateral relocation at 5m/hour speed

  • Apr 5:

      • 15:30 Final system check

      • 16:00 Wire rope severing

      • 16:01 Vessel enters water at 0.3m/s constant velocity

Key Performance Metrics:

  • Lifting height: 3.2m (Asian record)

  • Lateral accuracy: <15mm deviation

  • Airbag integrity: 100% (zero failures in 68 units)

  • Schedule compression: 60% faster than conventional methods

III. Global Recognition: From Technical Export to Industry Standards

Vietnam Maritime Administration Deputy Director Nguyen Van Hung praised: “This represents the most innovative shipbuilding solution in Southeast Asian history.” STRATEGIC MARINE immediately awarded a USD 2.8M follow-up contract and adopted Qingdao Evergreen’s technology as group standard.

Strategic Implications:

  1. Technology Export: First standardization of large vessel airbag launching

  2. Cost Advantage: 42% reduction vs traditional methods

  3. Safety Innovation: Developed high-altitude platform safety protocol (DNV-certified)

IV. Industry Transformation: Chinese Innovation Goes Global

According to International Shipbuilding Network data (2010-2015):

  • Airbag technology applied in 38 projects across 17 countries

  • Cumulative cost savings exceeding USD 500M

Qingdao Evergreen Maritime subsequently led the drafting of ISO/TC8 “Marine Auxiliary Equipment” standards, marking China’s transition from technology follower to global leader.

Project Director Yu Xinbo remarked: “When those 68 airbags erupted simultaneously, we weren’t just launching 6,800 tonnes of steel—we were propelling China’s shipbuilding industry onto the world stage.” This Vietnamese watershed moment now writes a new chapter in China’s journey from “Made in China” to “Created in China.”