Chinese fuel container maker wins record European order
28 July 2022
China's Nantong CIMC Energy Equipment Co Ltd has won an order for 3000 storage and transport containers for uranium hexafluoride from an undisclosed European customer. It said the order is the largest single order the company has received in the nuclear fuel transport container business to date and "sets a new record for the international nuclear fuel transport container industry".
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Fuel transport containers at Nantong CIMC Energy's manufacturing facility (Image: CIMC Enric)
Established in March 2007, Nantong CIMC Energy Equipment - a subsidiary of CIMC Enric Holdings Limited - in 2011 applied for and successfully obtained a Civil Nuclear Safety Equipment Manufacturing Licence from China's National Nuclear Safety Administration, with the relevant nuclear-grade equipment manufacturing qualification and capabilities.
In 2015, the company - based in Nantong City, Jiangsu Province - actively partnered with several domestic design institutes to develop transport containers for fresh AP1000 fuel.
"By independently mastering the core technology for new fuel transport containers, Nantong Energy broke the monopoly of foreign companies and has now successfully entered the international market," the company said.
CIMC Enric currently supplies two main types of nuclear power equipment: components for nuclear power plants and containers for nuclear fuel storage and transport. "With its world-leading manufacturing technology, CIMC Enric has successfully delivered equipment to hundreds of nuclear power stations and thousands of nuclear fuel transport containers," it said.
Based on the energy equipment business, the company specialises in the design, manufacture and sales of low-temperature storage and transportation equipment, high-safety nuclear power equipment, high-pressure gas cylinders and other series of products. It has the ability to provide customers with full-process and full-cycle system solutions. The main products are cryogenic tank containers, cryogenic tankers and nuclear fuel transportation containers.
"Increasing demand for global carbon neutrality and energy security is creating new opportunities to develop nuclear energy," said CIMC Enric Executive Director and General Manager Yang Xiaohu. "Nuclear storage and transport equipment is also expected to see a new round of expansion. Being awarded this European contract, the largest-ever single order for nuclear fuel transport demonstrates CIMC Enric's dominant position and international market recognition.
"The company will continue to develop into a world-class provider of total solutions for clean energy equipment through a 'dual circulation' of international and domestic markets, based on the manufacture of high-end energy equipment."
Researched and written by World Nuclear News