According to news from ChinaA big fully electric container shipdefined as the largest in the world in its sector, has just completed its first voyage, landing in the port of Yangshan in Hangzhou Bay, south of Shanghai. There Green Water 01this is its evocative name, is characterized by a length of approximately 120 meters, a width of 23.6 meters, a depth of 9 meters, a draft of 5.5 meters and a maximum speed of 19.4 km/h.
The vessel is owned by China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company, or COSCO in short, a state-owned multinational conglomerate based in Shanghai specializing in maritime transportation. COSCO Shipping was established as a subsidiary in 2016 following an approved merger between COSCO and China Shipping. It is the main liner company in China, transporting hundreds of container ships daily it also supplies ships to Chinese automakers to help them export their electric vehicles to new markets overseas, including Europe.
Size is not the only aspect in which Green Water 01 achieves international records. There deadweight capacity of 10,0000 tons and the battery capacity of over 50,000 kWh, in fact, represent other records, Chinese CCTV reported, according to a post on WeChat. COSCO says the number of battery modules can be configured depending on the duration of the sea voyage. For example, it is possible to load additional 6 meter battery boxes onto the container which offer 1,600 kWh of electricity for greater autonomy.
The captain of the ship, Wang Juntold CCTV that when the Green Water 01 is equipped with 24 battery boxes it can complete journeys that require it 80,000 kWh of energy. This is the equivalent of approximately 15 tons of fuel that would be required for a similar voyage from a traditional cargo ship. Furthermore, following the successful launch, Green Water 01 has started Weekly service between Shanghai and Nanjing.
Beyond the ambitions of the project, the transport of resources from China to the West may become increasingly fundamental for markets, starting with the car market. In fact, given the current impossibility of producing Chinese cars in Europe, some manufacturers have started to transfer them with container ships of this type. We are probably on the verge of a real one “invasion” of Chinese electric cars in the Old Continent, which could change some more habits beyond the merely economic and transport ones.
