COSCO Shipping's "Green Water 01" redefines maritime sustainability standards

COSCO Shipping, a Chinese state-owned enterprise, has unveiled what it heralds as the "world's largest" electric container ship capable of navigating river to sea. Named the Green Water 01, this vessel surpasses the 10,000-ton mark, marking a significant milestone in advancing sustainability within the maritime logistics sector.

Cosco, abbreviated as China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company, is a formidable state-owned multinational conglomerate headquartered in Shanghai. Its primary expertise lies in marine transportation. COSCO Shipping was founded in 2016 following a sanctioned merger between COSCO and China Shipping, solidifying its prominent presence in the industry.

COSCO Group is China's premier liner carrier, facilitating the daily transport of numerous container vessels. Moreover, it plays a pivotal role in aiding Chinese automakers by supplying ships to export their electric vehicles to burgeoning markets like Europe.

China is the world's largest aluminium producer while maintaining its position as the largest importer of bauxite, the primary ore for aluminium production. Among the key facilitators of this intricate supply chain is COSCO, whose pivotal role in orchestrating bauxite shipments into the nation is instrumental.

COSCO has unveiled an immense, entirely electric container vessel that has commenced operations in China, marking a significant step forward in maritime innovation. COSCO Shipping has announced the successful arrival of their electric container ship, the Green Water 01, at the Port of Yangshan. It has been safely berthed under the supervision of the local maritime safety administration.

The Green Water 01 sets sail with impressive specifications: it stretches out to 119.8 meters in total length, spans 23.6 meters in width, and reaches a depth of 9 meters from the moulded base. Designed with a draft of 5.5 meters, it boasts a remarkable top speed of 19.4 km/h (12 mph).

In technical terms, the moulded depth refers to the vertical distance measured perpendicular to the vessel's transverse plane. It extends from the top of the keel plate, the thickest section of the bottom shell plating, to the underside of the main deck. This measurement excludes the thickness of the bottom shell and the main deck plating.

According to COSCO Shipping, this electric container ship marks several milestones in the maritime sector, including its unprecedented length, width, container capacity, deadweight tonnage (exceeding 10,000 tons), and a substantial battery capacity of over 50,000 kWh.

The electric container ship is equipped with a sizable battery pack exceeding 50,000 kWh in capacity. COSCO mentions that the quantity of battery modules can be tailored based on the duration of the ocean journey. To illustrate, supplementary 20-foot battery containers, providing 1,600 kWh of power each, can be added to the cargo load to extend the vessel's range.

Wang Jun, the Captain of the Ship, said, "When the Green Water 01 is equipped with 24 battery boxes, the electric container ship can complete trips that consume 80,000 kWh of energy, equivalent to approximately 15 tons of fuel for a similar journey in a traditional container ship."

vessel can conserve 3,900 kg (8,600 pounds) of fuel for every 100 nautical miles travelled, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 12.4 tonnes. After its triumphant launch, the Green Water 01 has initiated weekly operations between Shanghai and Nanjing.