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Cosco building battery-powered boxship pair for Yangtze river

Photo: Cosco Shipping cosco700teu.JPG
Cosco Shipping is taking the plunge on pure electric boxships utilising a containerised battery solution for inland river transport.

The shipping company and Cosco Shipping Heavy Industry have inked agreement for the construction of two 700 teu pure electric containerships to promote green shipping along Yangtze river. 

The boxship pair will be built by Cosco Shipping Heavy Industrys Yangzhou shipyard, at a total cost of RMB116m.

Upon delivery, the vessels will be charted to Shanghai Pan-Asia Shipping, a unit of COSCO Shipping, and be deployed on Wuhan-Shanghai service, a distance of 607 nm. 

As the first batch of green and zero-carbon intelligent electricity-power vessel developed by Cosco Shipping, it will be powered by containerised batteries during the whole voyage, equipped with intelligent sailing assistance, operation and maintenance system, which could further strengthen the safety of sailing. The use of containerised batteries will enable the swapping of batteries at ports for recharging.

Cosco Shipping is developing advanced zero-carbon intelligent vessel, will improve the ability to research and manufacture battery units for vessel and build a vessel battery charging and replacing network in major ports of China, according to the company..

Currently, most of the ports along Yangtze river are able to provide shore power