When we talk about megaprojects, we know very well that Chinese companies are very committed to surprising us in terms of dimensions and capabilities. In this case the protagonist is the Ning Yuan Dian Kuna 10,000-ton all-electric container ship that the shipyard presents as the largest vessel of its type in the world. The ship set sail on February 1 from Jiangxi province and has been conducting trials in waters near Shanghai until a few days ago. Below these lines we tell you what is special about it.
An electrical giant in figures. The ship measures 127.8 meters in length, 21.6 meters in width and 10.5 meters in depth. It has the capacity to transport 740 TEU containers (units about six meters long) and can reach a maximum speed of 11.5 knots. According to details Marine Insight, the project has been built by Jiangxi Jiangxin Shipbuilding and is designed to operate with zero emissions both during navigation and during loading maneuvers in port.
The technology that drives it. The propulsion system is based on ten battery containers with a total capacity of up to 19,000 kWh, which power two permanent magnet motors of 875 kW each. From The Maritime Executive they explain that the batteries can be recharged through high-voltage connections on shore or quickly exchanged for already charged units, a cutting-edge replacement system that reduces waiting times in port. In addition, the ship incorporates photovoltaic panels to generate additional energy during its operations.
Autonomous navigation on board. According to the media, the Ning Yuan Dian Kun integrates autonomous navigation systems that allow route planning, automatic collision avoidance, and unmanned operation in open waters. From Electrive share that the ship has “real-time monitoring of the environment, visual perception in any weather condition and unmanned operation functions.” These systems allow the boat to alternate between different navigation modes according to needs.
What’s special about it. China seeks to establish a replicable model for zero-carbon short sea shipping. The Ning Yuan Dian Kun project was included in the national list of Advanced Green and Low Carbon Technology Demonstration Projects in 2025, with the aim of developing a scalable solution for coastal transportation.
This is not the first attempt in China, since in 2024, the country had already launched the Greenwater 01 on the Yangtze River, a 120-meter-long electric container ship with batteries of up to 80,000 kWh.
Between the lines. The tests have been used to evaluate the performance of the propulsion system in different conditions, the real autonomy of the batteries and the reliability of the autonomous systems. If the trials are a success, everything indicates that the ship will enter commercial service for the company, Ningbo Ocean Shipping Co., covering feeding routes linked to the port of Ningbo-Zhoushan, one of the busiest in the world.
On the other hand, it should be noted that there is already a second confirmed sister ship, the Ning Yuan Dian Peng, and that it will follow in the footsteps of this first one.
Decarbonization underway. If it ends up being demonstrated with this type of projects that electrification is viable on a commercial scale in maritime cargo transport, that the model ends up working economically and can be replicated on other routes, could mark a turning point in an industry responsible for around 2% of global CO₂ emissions, according to data from Statista. Maritime transport has historically been one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonize, so it could end up being an important step towards this goal.
Images | PeopleDaily
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