VESSEL REVIEW | Zhongyuan Haiyun Lu Shui 01 – Battery-powered containerships enter service with China’s COSCO Shipping

Chinese shipowner COSCO Shipping has expanded its fleet with the recent acquisition of two river-sea capable container vessels in a series built by sister company Yangzhou COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry.

Zhongyuan Haiyun Lu Shui 01 ("COSCO Shipping Green Water 01") and Zhongyuan Haiyun Lu Shui 02 are notable for having all-electric propulsion systems that consist of swappable batteries to eliminate the need for dedicated shore infrastructure and long charging times. The use of swappable batteries will also enable the vessels to achieve greater cruising ranges compared to vessels with rechargeable batteries.

Each of the newbuilds has an LOA of 119.8 metres, a beam of 23.6 metres, a displacement of 10,000 tonnes, capacity for 700 TEUs, and 36 movable box batteries with a total capacity of 57,600 kWh. The batteries, which are mounted prominently on the stern, can deliver a maximum speed of approximately 10.4 knots. According to COSCO Shipping, each vessel's operation can help reduce CO2 emissions by as much as 2,918 tonnes each year.

The ships also use intelligent technologies such as intelligent operation and maintenance systems, intelligent assisted driving, and visual channel early warning, thus significantly improving their ability to navigate safely.

The vessels were designed by the 712 Research Institute of the China Shipbuilding Group in compliance to China Classification Society rules. Zhongyuan Haiyun Lu Shui 01 has already commenced operational sailings along the Yangtze River, plying the route between the city of Nanjing and Shanghai's Yangshan Port.