China's first zero-carbon sea-river shipping route launches in Zhejiang

China's first sea-river intermodal zero-carbon shipping route entered operation on June 30, with a 10,000-ton-class pure electric container vessel departing from Jiaxing Port in Zhejiang province for Ningbo-Zhoushan Port.

The vessel, named Ningyuan Dianpeng, is 127.8 meters long and 21.6 meters wide, with a capacity of 742 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). Powered by 10 containerized batteries with a combined storage capacity of about 20,000 kilowatt-hours, it is expected to save around 800 tons of fuel and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 2,000 tons annually.

The new route integrates pure electric inland vessels and seagoing ships to establish a zero-carbon transport system. Cargo is transported by the inland vessels to Jiaxing Port before being transferred to the Ningyuan Dianpeng for shipment to Ningbo-Zhoushan Port.

The route offers exporters in the Yangtze River Delta a new low-carbon shipping option. According to estimates, each container transported along the route can reduce carbon emissions by about 60 kilograms, while annual emissions are expected to be cut by around 4,800 tons.

To support the launch, maritime authorities in Zhejiang introduced measures to ensure the safe operation of new energy vessels. "During preparations for the route, we visited shipping companies, terminals, and supporting service providers, and introduced measures to address practical challenges and improve links between inland waterways and coastal shipping routes," a representative from the Zhejiang Maritime Safety Administration said.