China launches first methanol-hydrogen electric cargo & distribution ship

In China, Geely launched Yuanchun 001, the world’s first methanol-hydrogen electric cargo-and-distribution ship, at Qianhang Shipyard in Hangzhou September 12. The vessel is designed to extend methanol’s role from road transport to inland shipping under China’s dual-carbon targets, cutting energy use by more than 42 percent and reaching 1,500 kilometers of range.

Yuanchun 001 is equipped with two 280-kilowatt methanol generator sets, two battery packs totaling 516 kilowatt-hours, and dual 150-kilowatt propulsion motors connected through a DC bus. The setup enables hybrid, generator, pure-electric, or shore-power operation. This flexibility allows efficient performance under heavy loads while offering zero-emission operation in port or environmentally sensitive zones.

With China’s 145,900 inland vessels in service and only about 1,000 using new energy, regulators have emphasized the potential for large-scale fleet renewal. Compared with pure-electric ships limited to about 250 kilometers, the methanol-hydrogen design offers longer range and a shorter payback period of three to five years with subsidies. The launch is presented as both a technical advance and a pathway for reducing emissions in inland shipping.

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