Yangtze River to welcome its first new energy ro-ro ship
2024-09-06 14:09:01
By Ma Yuhan, Yichang International Communication Studio
On September 1st, at a busy shipyard in Yichang, workers are assembling 14 steel blocks to create a ro-ro vessel. This ship, being constructed by Zigui Huaxing Shipping Co., Ltd., will be the first new energy ro-ro vessel on the Yangtze River.
The new ships will have larger cargo capacity. The pilot ship has a top speed of 22 kilometers per hour and can operate for a minimum of 100 hours. This is made possible by the 300 square meters of photovoltaic charging panels and shore power receiving facilities, according to Zhang Yu, deputy general manager of production at Huaxing Shipyard.
A conceptual rendering of the upcoming energy roll-on, roll-off (ro-ro) ship.
Ro-ro transport on the Yangtze River, which started in 1998, is currently China's sole inland ro-ro transport route. There are 45 vessels operating on three fixed routes: Yichang-Chongqing, Yichang-Zhong County, and Yichang-WanZhou.
On September 1st, at a busy shipyard in Yichang, workers are assembling 14 steel blocks to create a ro-ro vessel. This ship, being constructed by Zigui Huaxing Shipping Co., Ltd., will be the first new energy ro-ro vessel on the Yangtze River.
The new ships will have larger cargo capacity. The pilot ship has a top speed of 22 kilometers per hour and can operate for a minimum of 100 hours. This is made possible by the 300 square meters of photovoltaic charging panels and shore power receiving facilities, according to Zhang Yu, deputy general manager of production at Huaxing Shipyard.
A conceptual rendering of the upcoming energy roll-on, roll-off (ro-ro) ship.
Ro-ro transport on the Yangtze River, which started in 1998, is currently China's sole inland ro-ro transport route. There are 45 vessels operating on three fixed routes: Yichang-Chongqing, Yichang-Zhong County, and Yichang-WanZhou.
Currently, all 45 vessels on this route use traditional diesel engines and have been in operation for almost 20 years. However, these outdated ships, combined with increasing oil prices and declining freight rates, are unable to handle the demand for large cargo volumes. Consequently, there is a need for larger and more energy-efficient ships.
Workers are assembling the newly developed energy roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) ship.
The Changjiang River Administration of Navigational Affairs aims to construct three new energy ro-ro ships in Yichang by June 30, 2025. Subsequently, the 45 ro-ro ships currently operating on the Yangtze River will undergo a gradual process of replacement and upgrades.
