COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (Yangzhou) Co Ltd held the groundbreaking ceremony for one of two 700-TEU electric container vessels on December 14.

The China Classification Society and Lloyd's Register of Shipping issued the AIP approval certificate for the vessel's electric propulsion system. This is the first time for China to build a pure electric container ship of this carrying capacity and also a record-setting ship with the largest battery capacity in the world.

(Photo provided to Xinhua Daily)

Each ship is 119.8 meters long and 23.6m wide, powered by 36 batteries with a capacity of 57,600 kWh of electricity, the largest in the world. The ship also uses other advanced technologies to enhance the safety performance.

In recent years, amid efforts to reduce GHG emissions, the market demand for eco-friendly and intelligent ships continues to expand. In Yangzhou, a powerhouse of shipbuilding, major companies have actively embraced the green transformation and improved innovation.