Ashraf AboArafe
In a milestone for green and smart shipping, China has launched “Kehchuba,” the country’s largest fully electric cargo vessel, in Yichang, Hubei Province, marking a new tide in sustainable maritime innovation.
Stretching 130 meters in length and boasting a maximum capacity of over 13,000 tons, the vessel is powered by 12 lithium battery units with a total energy of 24,000 kWh. Its developers revealed that the batteries can be replaced swiftly, allowing the ship to sail up to 500 kilometers on a single charge.
On the technological front, the ship features an advanced intelligent control system that enables remote navigation and automatic berthing, seamlessly integrated with multi-link communication networks.
According to Academician Yan Xinping of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the vessel represents more than just a single product innovation — it showcases China’s mastery of core technologies, including large-capacity batteries and distributed DC power systems.
Environmentally, the vessel is expected to save approximately 617 tons of fuel annually and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2,052 tons — a tangible step toward China’s vision of a “Green and Smart Shipping Era.
