China launches world’s first electric cargo ship

With other means of transportation systems going all-electric, China has now constructed the world’s first all-electric cargo ship producing zero-emissions.

The country has already set the vehicle into working. The ship was launched in Guangzhou city last month and runs in the inland section of Pearl River. The ship marks itself first one in the world to use lithium battery in a completely powered cargo vessel.

The 2,000-metric-ton ship was manufactured by Guangzhou Shipyard International Company Ltd. After being charged for two hours, the vehicle contains the ability to travel up to 80 kilometers. The ship is 230 feet long and can travel up to 12.8 km/h, with a battery capacity of 2,400 kWh – equal to the energy of 40 new energy cars. The vehicle itself is a zero-emission of waste gas pollutants, reported China Daily.

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“As the ship is fully electric powered, it poses no threats to the environment. The technology will soon be likely ... used in passenger or engineering ships,” expressed Huang Jialin, chairman and general manager of Hangzhou Modern Ship Design & Research Co, which designed the electric cargo vessel.

Though it is not the fastest electric vehicle ever made, but the ship’s purpose is to transport several objects instead for its speed. The ship will be used to carry coal for the generation of electric power. This would also help cut down the shipping costs for electric power operators.

The general manager of Guangzhou Shipyard International, Chen Ji explains, “Theoretically, the fully electric-powered ship could have more capacity in cargo loading. If it is equipped with larger energy batteries, it will carry goods of more than 2,000 tons.”

However, the irony about this new ship is that the all-electric cargo ship is being used to transport coal to the generating stations. In spite of generating zero-emissions, the ship itself is contributing to spreading gas emissions that lead to global warming. It is a zero-emission ship, powered by electricity that is itself generated by burning coal, and it is transporting coal just more cheaply, reported Clean Technica.