On April 29, a pure electric container ship, approximately 79.9 meters long, was safely berthed along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal in Jining, Shandong Province. It is the first pure electric inland vessel ordered by CMA CGM, one of the world’s leading shipping companies, and also China’s first pure electric inland vessel exported overseas. The vessel was designed under the leadership of a research team from Wuhan University of Technology.

“This vessel solves the challenges of high cargo capacity, long endurance, and high speed under inland waterway conditions characterized by many shoals and bends,” Pei Zhiyong, Director of the Research Center for Green and Intelligent River-Sea-Going Ships, Cruise Ships and Yachts at Wuhan University of Technology, told reporters from Hubei Daily. After delivery, the vessel will be deployed on a green shipping route in Vietnam, with an annual transport capacity of more than 50,000 TEUs and annual carbon emissions reduction of 778 tonnes.

Entering the Global High-End Market

“Beep… Success!” On April 16, in the large ship model towing tank laboratory of Wuhan University of Technology, Pei Zhiyong and R&D personnel from Shandong Xinneng Shipbuilding and CATL witnessed another technological breakthrough: making pure electric ships consume less power while carrying more cargo.

“Relying on the R&D and design capabilities of Wuhan University of Technology, we have already produced and delivered more than 100 vessels, including those ordered by CMA CGM, and we plan to deliver another 200 vessels this year,” said Wang Qinghu, Executive Deputy General Manager of Shandong Xinneng Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.

CMA CGM is the world’s third-largest ocean container liner company and has adopted net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 as a strategic goal since 2022. The French company’s choice of Chinese manufacturing has placed China’s new-energy inland vessels in the global spotlight. It has also helped hundreds of Chinese local equipment suppliers, including those producing shaft and rudder systems and windlasses, enter the global supply chain system for the first time.

Through this project, core technologies such as containerized battery swapping, separation of vessel ownership and battery ownership, and intelligent wheelhouses have been standardized, forming a replicable template. This means that China’s technologies, standards, and models for new-energy inland vessels are truly entering the global high-end market.

However, the cooperation was far from easy. The vessel will be registered with Bureau Veritas and operated in Vietnam, which means it must meet both stringent EU certification requirements and the complex hydrological conditions of Vietnamese waterways. Vietnam’s inland rivers feature many shoals and winding channels, requiring vessels to have shallow drafts. At the same time, CMA CGM required high load capacity and long endurance. Within the limited vessel length, four containerized battery units with a total capacity of nearly 8,000 kWh had to be arranged while ensuring the draft did not exceed the strict limit. This was almost an “impossible task.”

Achieving China’s Best and World-Class Standards

The cooperation began in May 2024. During its first visit to Wuhan University of Technology, CMA CGM was attracted by the university’s green and intelligent river-sea-going ship technologies. After two dedicated rounds of consultation, cooperation was officially confirmed in November of the same year: CMA CGM signed a letter of intent for procurement with Shandong Xinneng Shipbuilding, and Wuhan University of Technology became the sole commissioned R&D and design institution.

Behind this trust lies Hubei’s strong foundation in scientific and technological innovation. Wuhan is one of the world’s most concentrated cities in terms of maritime universities and shipbuilding professionals, with nearly 9,000 specialized R&D personnel. About 80% of China’s green and intelligent ship R&D and design comes from Hubei.

Pei Zhiyong said frankly, “Wuhan University of Technology has achieved China-leading and world-class levels in four fields: shallow-water resistance of inland vessels, flexible maneuverability in complex waterways, structural safety and lightweight design, and R&D of efficient manufacturing equipment.” This strong capability provided solid support for technological breakthroughs.

In April last year, the first towing tank test was conducted at Wuhan University of Technology, with CMA CGM technical experts observing on site. More than five months later, Alex, an engineer from CMA CGM, visited Wuhan University of Technology for the fifth time on behalf of the company. In the university’s large ship model towing tank, the team presented the final design after thousands of digital simulation optimizations: a wide and flat hull form, combined with efficient propellers and lightweight structural design. The vessel can carry 3,500 tonnes of cargo while maneuvering flexibly through narrow waterways, and its endurance exceeds CMA CGM’s target. After observing the full two-day test on site, the engineer fully recognized the vessel’s performance in carrying more cargo, sailing faster, and operating more efficiently.

On March 19 this year, the vessel was launched in Jining, Shandong. Mathieu Courtois, CMA CGM’s site manager for newbuilding projects in China, said that the choice of Chinese manufacturing was not only a market decision, but also a recognition of China’s technological strength in new-energy inland vessels.

At present, the vessel is undergoing final outfitting and is expected to sail to Vietnam in June.

According to forecasts, electric vessels are expected to account for 15% of the global ship market by 2030. As the province with the longest section of the Yangtze River main stream, Hubei, a major water transport province in central China, is demonstrating its ambition to achieve leading development in this field.

Original Link: https://www.hubei.gov.cn/hbfb/rdgz/202605/t20260511_5933091.shtml