Alternative Fuels
China’s largest battery capacity ship to pave way for electric vessels
The 100m “Chang Jiang San Xia 1” obtained the notations of “Green Ship” and will play an important role in promoting pollution prevention along Yangtze River.

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China Classification Society (CCS) on Tuesday (17 May) said China will ramp up the building of fully battery-powered ships to operate on the country’s extensive inland waterways network.
This is following the successful maiden voyage of the Chang Jiang San Xia 1, a 100m length cruise ship with the largest battery capacity in the world.
The vessel was successfully delivered at the Yichang Xin Hui Shipbuilding Co Ltd on the Yangtze River in the Hubei province.
It has capacity for 1,300 passengers and will sail in the reservoir areas of the Gezhouba Dam and Three Gorges Dam in Yangtze River.
CCS’ Yichang office oversaw the plan approval and building survey while its Wuhan Rules & Research Institute provided technical support for the green technology and intelligence elements of the vessel, says CCS.
Mr Luo Xiaofeng, Director of Wuhan Rules & Research Institute, said the Chang Jiang San Xia 1 can slash an estimated 530 tonnes of diesel fuel and 1660 tonnes of GHG and hazardous gas emissions each year with 7.5 MWh marine power lithium battery system.
This is equivalent to the power of 100 electric cars, which compared to a similar diesel powered vessel.
The ship will be charged by hydroelectric energy with a range of no less than 100 km. It is also one of the first all-electric ships to adopt a system of high-voltage charging and low-voltage power supplement.
The vessel will play a key role in promoting the green development of the Yangtze River shipping industry, which has received increasing attention in recent years.
In 2020, four ministries, including the Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Ecology and Environment, issued a joint plan to curb ship and port pollution, urging comprehensive improvements in pollution prevention and acceleration of the green development of the shipping industry along the Yangtze River Economic Belt.
“CCS is very proud to have worked on this groundbreaking project with the talented team at Yichang Xinhui Shipyard,” said Mr Xu Junjie the GM to CCS Yichang.
“The project demonstrates the implementation of advanced Lithium Battery Power Ship Rules and the building of electric inland waterway vessels in China.
“We expect that the innovations made on this vessel about the size and power of the battery can promote the development of environmentally friendly electric vessels. We have learned a lot particularly about de-risking the build process and the overall safety of electric powered ships.”
Xu said the ship design of the ship has achieved several Chinese “firsts”.
“This vessel adopts the marine power LFP-type battery system that meets the world’s top standard,” he said.
“The ship is a Demonstration Project of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in Hi-tech Research Ships and is a Pilot Project of the Ministry of Transport for ‘Building China with Strong Transportation Network’.
“CCS fully supports the Government’s drive for greener inland waterways and hope what we are learning can be shared with the wider maritime industry as the sector strives towards meeting the IMO GHG emissions targets.”
Luo also said the Chang Jiang San Xia 1 obtained the notations of “Green Ship” as well as meeting high standards of vibration and noise reduction.
“CCS Wuhan Rules & Research Institute is closely involved in the project and our battery power technicians are working closely with the ship designer and builder to solve technical problems and control battery power risks,” he concludes.
“For example, the unconventional requirements for assembling, welding, installation and commissioning. We further examined the problems in battery installation and system tests, providing training, to improve the capability of the shipyard.”
Photo credit: China Classification Society
Published: 18 May, 2022
Alternative Fuels
DNV paper outlines bunkering of alternative marine fuels for boxships
Third edition of its paper series focuses on LNG, methanol and ammonia as alternative bunker fuel options for containerships; explores bunkering aspects for LNG and methanol.

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4 hours agoon
November 29, 2023By
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Classification society DNV recently released the third edition of its paper series Alternative fuels for containerships, focused on LNG, methanol and ammonia as alternative bunker fuel options for containerships.
In its updated paper series, DNV examined the different alternative marine fuel options and provided an overview of the most important technical and commercial considerations for the containership sector.
It explored the bunkering technology for LNG, bunkering infrastructure for methanol, and availability and infrastructure of ammonia.
Building on the foundation laid in the second edition, which focused on the most important aspects of methanol as a fuel, this latest third edition delves deeper – exploring the technical intricacies and commercial considerations associated with adopting methanol as an alternative fuel for containerships.
Furthermore, it provides an overview of crucial aspects related to ammonia and discusses its potential as an alternative fuel for containerships.
Amongst others, the new edition of the paper looks at the following aspects:
- Technical design considerations for methanol
- Commercial implications of adopting methanol as an alternative fuel
- Ammonia's potential as an alternative fuel
- Availability, infrastructure and ship fuel technology for ammonia
- Major updates based on the latest IMO GHG strategy decisions at the MEPC 80 meeting
Note: The third edition of DNV’s full paper titled Alternative Fuels for Containerships can be found here.
Related: DNV paper outlines bunkering infrastructure of alternative fuels for boxships
Photo credit: DNV
Published: 29 November, 2023
Alternative Fuels
EDF, LR and Arup launch tool scoring ports’ potential to produce and bunker electrofuels
Tool is also applied to three different port scenarios, including ports exploring fuel production and bunkering, ports exploring fuel exports, and ports exploring fuel imports and bunkering.

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4 hours agoon
November 29, 2023By
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Lloyd’s Register (LR) Maritime Decarbonisation Hub and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), in collaboration with Arup, on Tuesday (28 November) introduced the Sustainable First Movers Initiative Identification Tool, a system to help shipping stakeholders align investment decisions that support the maritime energy transition away from fossil fuels.
The tool, which is presented in a preliminary findings report – The Potential of Ports in Developing Sustainable First Movers Initiatives – scores a port’s potential to produce and bunker electrofuels while delivering local environmental and community benefits in alignment with the global temperature target of 1.5 degrees Celsius set by the Paris Agreement.
“Ports can play an important role in kickstarting shipping’s decarbonisation process even before global policies are established,” said Marie Cabbia Hubatova, Director, Global Shipping at Environmental Defense Fund.
“By considering the impact sustainable first mover initiatives can have on port-side communities, climate, environment and economies, resources can be better directed to locations where these initiatives will make the biggest difference.”
With close to two billion people living near coastal zones globally, the role of, and impacts on local port communities must be intentionally considered as the sector decarbonises globally. Ports can play a crucial role in ensuring shipping decarbonisation efforts are done in a way that has positive impacts on port communities.
The preliminary phase of the Sustainable First Movers Initiative Identification Tool analyses 108 ports in the Indo-Pacific region according to five criteria including land suitability, air quality, renewable energy surplus, economic resilience and ship traffic.
It is also applied to three different port scenarios, including ports exploring fuel production and bunkering, ports exploring fuel exports, and ports exploring fuel imports and bunkering. The combined criteria and scenario evaluation determines which ports have the greatest potential (high potential) for sustainable first mover initiatives to lead to significant emissions reductions and positive impacts in nearby communities, such as improved air quality and economic resilience.
“The transition to clean energy supply for shipping can be achieved only if stakeholders act together. Identifying potential port locations is the first step in this process,” said Dr Carlo Raucci, Consultant at Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub. “This approach sets the base for a regional sustainable transition that considers the impacts on port-side communities and the need to avoid regions in the Global South lagging behind.”
Regions in the Global South are fundamental in driving the decarbonisation of shipping. To make this transition effective, the rate at which different countries adopt and scale up electrofuels must be proportional to the difference in capital resources globally to avoid additional costs being passed on to local communities. Sustainable first mover initiatives can play an important role in making this happen by ensuring the sector’s decarbonisation is inclusive of all regions and by engaging all shipping stakeholders, including port-side communities.
“There’s a huge opportunity for early adopter shipping decarbonisation initiatives to unlock benefits for people and planet – shaping the way for a more equitable transition in the 2030s,” said Mark Button, Associate, Arup. “Our collective approach shows that taking a holistic view of shipping traffic, fuel production potential and port communities could help prioritise action at ports with the greatest near-term potential.”
The tool can be customised according to stakeholders’ needs and goals and is dependent on scenario desirability. The next phase of this work will include the selection and detailed assessment of 10 ports to help better understand local needs and maximise the value offered by sustainable first mover initiatives.
LR and EDF carried out a joint study on ammonia as shipping fuel, and LR and Arup have collaborated on The Resilience Shift study focused on fuel demand for early adopters in green corridors, ports, and energy systems, amongst many other projects.
Photo credit: Lloyd’s Register
Published: 29 November, 2023
Newbuilding
Wärtsilä signs agreement for first zero-emission high speed ferries in US
Group has signed a strategic partnership agreement to provide its Fleet Electrification and Systems Integrator Services for a project to build the first zero-emission high speed ferries in the United States.

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5 hours agoon
November 29, 2023By
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Technology group Wärtsilä on Tuesday (28 November) said it has signed a strategic partnership agreement to provide its Fleet Electrification and Systems Integrator Services for a project to build the first zero-emission high speed ferries in the United States.
The fully electric vessels will be built for San Francisco’s Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), the operator of the San Francisco Bay Ferry system.
The project, and several others Wärtsilä will work on under this partnership, are a part of the agency’s Rapid Electric Emission-Free (REEF) Ferry Program, a phased decarbonisation of high-speed, high-capacity ferry service in the San Francisco Bay.
Wärtsilä will work within the WETA project team to finalise vessel and charging system concepts.
“We’re proud to operate the cleanest high-speed ferry fleet in the nation, but a zero-emission future for our system is within reach,” said WETA Executive Director, Seamus Murphy.
“Wärtsilä’s expertise and experience will be incredibly valuable given the complexity our ferry decarbonisation program entails.”
“This is a major project within the maritime sector’s journey towards decarbonisation, and we are proud to be a part of it,” said Hanno Schoonman, Director of sales for AMER region, Wärtsilä Marine Power.
“Wärtsilä joins an industry leading team tasked to develop newbuild battery electric vessels that combine innovative technology and sustainable practices. Wärtsilä is well qualified to provide this project support, and this agreement is a clear endorsement of our strong track record in systems integration and emission-free propulsion.”
After completing the conceptual phase, WETA will move on to the initial construction phase of a multi-vessel programme. This phase will involve the building of three smaller ferries with a capacity of approximately 150 passengers each and two larger ferries capable of carrying at least 300 passengers.
Additionally, the scope of this phase will encompass the inclusion of battery charging floats. The construction of the first electric-powered vessel is slated to commence before the conclusion of 2023, with commercial operations expected to launch in 2025.
Photo credit: Wärtsilä
Published: 29 November, 2023

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