In China, the country’s first pure methanol electric intelligent cargo vessel began its maiden voyage on February 6, marking the opening of a new green shipping route linking Nanjing with Hefei.
The vessel, Shuntong Ji 601, and its sister ship are equipped with a domestically developed methanol electric propulsion system combining methanol power generation, lithium battery storage and electric drive control. A single methanol bunkering supports a range of more than 1,500 kilometers, significantly extending endurance compared with vessels powered solely by batteries.
The system allows switching among methanol electric propulsion, pure electric mode and range extended operation to match different sailing conditions.
The launch establishes a dedicated demonstration route serving an industrial customer in Anhui province and represents the first deployment of a thousand-ton class pure methanol electric fleet in China’s inland waterways.
Local maritime authorities provided traffic monitoring, priority passage and safety inspections during the maiden voyage, including checks of the methanol power system and onboard battery management systems.
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Category: Sustainable Marine Fuels
