Archive · 29 Dec 2025
Chinese Ship Completes 37,000 km Journey
A big Chinese ship named Zhen Hua 29 went on a very long trip to deliver five huge cranes.
It left Shanghai in June and traveled across three oceans, going all the way around the southern tip of Africa because the cranes were too big to go through the Panama Canal.
The trip took six months and the ship finally returned to Shanghai in December.
The cranes were for ports in Jamaica and the US.
Some people in the US are worried about using cranes made in China and want to find other places to get them, but Chinese cranes have been the cheapest and easiest option for a long time.
The ship's captain had to be careful, especially when going around the tip of Africa where the seas were very rough.
The Zhen Hua 29 traveled 37,000 km to deliver five giant ship-to-shore cranes from Shanghai to Jamaica and the US Gulf Coast.
The journey took six months, departing on June 20 and completing on December 3.
The ship had to take the long route around the Cape of Good Hope due to the cranes' size, which prevented passage through the Panama Canal.
US officials have raised concerns about relying on Chinese-made cranes, citing potential national security risks.
The White House is seeking to source cranes from countries other than China and revive domestic crane manufacturing, but this change is challenging due to the cost and availability of Chinese cranes.
- Who
- The Chinese cargo vessel Zhen Hua 29 and its captain, Ty McMichael.
- What
- A journey to deliver five giant ship-to-shore cranes built in China to ports in Jamaica and the US Gulf Coast.
- When
- The ship departed on June 20 and completed its journey on December 3.
- Where
- The ship traveled from Shanghai, through the South China Sea, across the Indian Ocean, around the Cape of Good Hope, and across the Atlantic Ocean to the Port of Kingston in Jamaica.
- Why
- The cranes' long arms made it impossible to pass through the Panama Canal, necessitating the longer route around the world.
- Ship Name
- Zhen Hua 29
- Departure Date
- June 20
- Departure Port
- Shanghai
- Arrival Port
- Port of Kingston, Jamaica
- Cargo
- Five giant ship-to-shore cranes
- Distance Traveled
- 37,000 km
- Duration
- Six months
- Captain
- Ty McMichael