China launches the world’s largest all-electric container ship, the Greenwater 01

China is establishing its position as a power and we have seen many advances, particularly in terms of electric cars. Now, a state-owned company in the country has launched the world’s largest all-electric container ship. Discover Greenwater 01.

Named Greenwater 01, the all-electric container ship is set to be a pioneer in the shipping industry. As reported by the South China Morning Post, its propulsion system is powered exclusively by lithium iron phosphate batteries, saving 3900 kg of fuel for every 100 nautical miles sailed (about 185 km).

This container ship was developed and manufactured by China's state-owned company Ocean Shipping Group (Cosco) and is already operating a regular service route between Shanghai and Nanjing. On social media, as cited by Tech Times, the company highlighted the potential impact of this new ship on reducing emissions, stating that it could achieve substantial reductions throughout the year.

Furthermore, Cosco shared that the voyage that inaugurated the Greenwater 01, with “zero emissions, pollution and noise, set a new benchmark for transforming the maritime transport sector towards low carbon and environmentally friendly objectives”.

More about this all-electric container ship

The Greenwater 01 is equipped with a main battery exceeding 50,000 kilowatt-hours, and can accommodate additional battery packs for longer trips, with each providing 1600 kilowatt-hours of electricity and providing flexibility in increasing travel range from the ship.

With 24 battery boxes on board, the Greenwater 01 can complete one trip while consuming 80,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity. According to what was shared, this is equivalent to a saving of 15 tons of fuel compared to a normal container ship, highlighting the efficiency of the electric propulsion systems.

According to Cosco, a single ship can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2918 tonnes per year, which is the equivalent of taking 2035 family cars off the road or planting 160,000 trees.

To promote safety, crew members receive specialized fire training to deal with battery-related emergencies. Additionally, the ship has a fire detection and alarm system designed for the battery compartment.

For Zhang Lifu, an official at Shanghai's Yangshan Port, crew readiness to respond to potential fire incidents is crucial when operating an electric ship of this size.

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