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| Meta Title | First all-electric cargo ship built in China will start its career drenched in irony |
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| Boilerpipe Text | China can boast using the worldâs first all-electric cargo ship â but its cargo leaves a sour taste: itâs coal.
Two technicians pass by the worldâs first 2,000-metric-ton, all-electric cargo ship during its debut in Guangzhou.
Image credits Xia Shiyan / China Daily.
State-owned news outlet China Daily reports that the 2,000 metric-ton ship was launched to water last month in the city of Guangzhou. It was built by the Guangzhou Shipyard International Company Ltd. to shuttle goods along the inland section of the Pearl River.
E-carrier
Itâs not the fastest electric ship out there (thatâs a
yacht
), neither is it the smartest (that would be a planned
autonomous freighter
), but it definitely has a lot of oomph. The ship measures 70.5 meters (230 feet) in length and is âarmedâ with a 2,400 kWh battery pack, allowing it to carry 2200 tons of cargo over 80 kilometers (50 miles) at a max speed of 12.8 kilometers (8 miles) per hour. After every full trip, the ship has to be charged for two hours. Conveniently, however, two hours is about how much time it would take to unload the ship while docked.
Overall, a very solid example of electric vehicles hitting the water, and for heavy-duty work to boot.
âAs the ship is fully electric powered, it poses no threats to the environment,â said Huang Jialin, general manager of Hangzhou Modern Ship Design & Research Co, the company that designed the ship.
As the shipâs engines and batteries stand testament to our shifting relationship with fossil fuels, however, its cargo shows how far we still are from a complete shift: this fully-electric cargo ship, the first in the world, is earmarked for coal transport. According to Chen Ji, general manager of Guangzhou Shipyard International, the cargo vessel would help greatly reduce shipping costs for electric power operators.
Uh-oh
âThe cost of electric power is less than that (of) traditional fuel. The main cost of the new energy cargo ship depends on how much lithium battery it is equipped with,â Chen said for
China Daily
.
âTheoretically, 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,â Chen said.
The craft itself may be generating zero emissions on its own, granted, but when looking at the big picture it will be directly involved in amplifying climate change.
I suppose the only thing worse than an electric coal-ferry is a residual oil or coal-burning coal-ferry, however, so one could still call this a win. Cargo ships are some of the l
argest contributors
to the transport sectorâs overall greenhouse gas emissions, so swapping them for electric ones will be a net improvement. At the same time, since electricity is cheaper than other types of fuel, it would also help bring down the prices of every good that has to be shipped around. Furthermore, the same technology can also be used in other large craft such as ferries, container ships, or vessels used for short hauls.
I find the idea of using e-vehicles to make coal cheaper, however, to be hilariously ironic. Sure, it makes economic sense, but it misses the whole point of clean energy by a country mile. At the end of the day though, if youÂ
areÂ
carrying coal anyway, thereâs no harm in chipping down some of the emissions.
Ă
But ships arenât built in stone. A coal-hauler today could very well be a battery carrier tomorrow. Not an unlikely prospect, considering Chinaâs monumental push towards
solar
energy in particular and renewables in
general
. In the end, no matter how sooty the present may be, weâre actively building the means to create a clean future.
Alexandru Micu
Stunningly charming pun connoisseur, I have been fascinated by the world around me since I first laid eyes on it. Always curious, I'm just having a little fun with some very serious science. |
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# First all-electric cargo ship built in China will start its career drenched in irony
Cool achievement, ignoble task.


by[Alexandru Micu](https://www.zmescience.com/author/alexandrumicu/)
[December 6, 2017](https://www.zmescience.com/science/china-ship-electric-freight/)
in [News](https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/), [Renewable Energy](https://www.zmescience.com/ecology/renewable-energy-ecology/), [Science](https://www.zmescience.com/science/)
A A
A
A
Reset
China can boast using the worldâs first all-electric cargo ship â but its cargo leaves a sour taste: itâs coal.
[](https://cdn.zmescience.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/484d7ec8089d1b74842110.jpg)
Two technicians pass by the worldâs first 2,000-metric-ton, all-electric cargo ship during its debut in Guangzhou.
Image credits Xia Shiyan / China Daily.
State-owned news outlet China Daily reports that the 2,000 metric-ton ship was launched to water last month in the city of Guangzhou. It was built by the Guangzhou Shipyard International Company Ltd. to shuttle goods along the inland section of the Pearl River.
### E-carrier
Itâs not the fastest electric ship out there (thatâs a [yacht](https://futurism.com/the-worlds-first-all-electric-yacht-has-a-40-mile-range-and-a-500000-price-tag/)), neither is it the smartest (that would be a planned [autonomous freighter](https://www.zmescience.com/science/yara-birkeland-norway-ship/)), but it definitely has a lot of oomph. The ship measures 70.5 meters (230 feet) in length and is âarmedâ with a 2,400 kWh battery pack, allowing it to carry 2200 tons of cargo over 80 kilometers (50 miles) at a max speed of 12.8 kilometers (8 miles) per hour. After every full trip, the ship has to be charged for two hours. Conveniently, however, two hours is about how much time it would take to unload the ship while docked.
Overall, a very solid example of electric vehicles hitting the water, and for heavy-duty work to boot.
> âAs the ship is fully electric powered, it poses no threats to the environment,â said Huang Jialin, general manager of Hangzhou Modern Ship Design & Research Co, the company that designed the ship.
As the shipâs engines and batteries stand testament to our shifting relationship with fossil fuels, however, its cargo shows how far we still are from a complete shift: this fully-electric cargo ship, the first in the world, is earmarked for coal transport. According to Chen Ji, general manager of Guangzhou Shipyard International, the cargo vessel would help greatly reduce shipping costs for electric power operators.
### Uh-oh
> âThe cost of electric power is less than that (of) traditional fuel. The main cost of the new energy cargo ship depends on how much lithium battery it is equipped with,â Chen said for [China Daily](http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2017-11/14/content_34511312.htm).
>
> âTheoretically, 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,â Chen said.
The craft itself may be generating zero emissions on its own, granted, but when looking at the big picture it will be directly involved in amplifying climate change.
I suppose the only thing worse than an electric coal-ferry is a residual oil or coal-burning coal-ferry, however, so one could still call this a win. Cargo ships are some of the l[argest contributors](https://www.zmescience.com/research/studies/pollution-from-marine-vessels-linked-to-heart-and-lung-disease/) to the transport sectorâs overall greenhouse gas emissions, so swapping them for electric ones will be a net improvement. At the same time, since electricity is cheaper than other types of fuel, it would also help bring down the prices of every good that has to be shipped around. Furthermore, the same technology can also be used in other large craft such as ferries, container ships, or vessels used for short hauls.
### Related**Posts**
[Researchers uncover the oldest known species with opposable thumbs â a dinosaur in China](https://www.zmescience.com/science/oldest-known-animal-opposable-thumbs-92427245/)
[Chinese satellite beams entangled particles over 1,200km away, sets the stage for unhackable quantum network](https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/quantum-particles-record-china-043432/)
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I find the idea of using e-vehicles to make coal cheaper, however, to be hilariously ironic. Sure, it makes economic sense, but it misses the whole point of clean energy by a country mile. At the end of the day though, if you *are* carrying coal anyway, thereâs no harm in chipping down some of the emissions.
Ă
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But ships arenât built in stone. A coal-hauler today could very well be a battery carrier tomorrow. Not an unlikely prospect, considering Chinaâs monumental push towards [solar](https://www.zmescience.com/ecology/renewable-energy-ecology/china-solar-energy-08022017/) energy in particular and renewables in [general](https://www.zmescience.com/ecology/climate/china-invest-360bn-renewable-power-2020/). In the end, no matter how sooty the present may be, weâre actively building the means to create a clean future.
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Tags: [Cargo](https://www.zmescience.com/tag/cargo/)[china](https://www.zmescience.com/tag/china/)[Electric](https://www.zmescience.com/tag/electric/)[ship](https://www.zmescience.com/tag/ship/)


### [Alexandru Micu](https://www.zmescience.com/author/alexandrumicu/)
Stunningly charming pun connoisseur, I have been fascinated by the world around me since I first laid eyes on it. Always curious, I'm just having a little fun with some very serious science.
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| Readable Markdown | China can boast using the worldâs first all-electric cargo ship â but its cargo leaves a sour taste: itâs coal.
[](https://cdn.zmescience.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/484d7ec8089d1b74842110.jpg)
Two technicians pass by the worldâs first 2,000-metric-ton, all-electric cargo ship during its debut in Guangzhou.
Image credits Xia Shiyan / China Daily.
State-owned news outlet China Daily reports that the 2,000 metric-ton ship was launched to water last month in the city of Guangzhou. It was built by the Guangzhou Shipyard International Company Ltd. to shuttle goods along the inland section of the Pearl River.
### E-carrier
Itâs not the fastest electric ship out there (thatâs a [yacht](https://futurism.com/the-worlds-first-all-electric-yacht-has-a-40-mile-range-and-a-500000-price-tag/)), neither is it the smartest (that would be a planned [autonomous freighter](https://www.zmescience.com/science/yara-birkeland-norway-ship/)), but it definitely has a lot of oomph. The ship measures 70.5 meters (230 feet) in length and is âarmedâ with a 2,400 kWh battery pack, allowing it to carry 2200 tons of cargo over 80 kilometers (50 miles) at a max speed of 12.8 kilometers (8 miles) per hour. After every full trip, the ship has to be charged for two hours. Conveniently, however, two hours is about how much time it would take to unload the ship while docked.
Overall, a very solid example of electric vehicles hitting the water, and for heavy-duty work to boot.
> âAs the ship is fully electric powered, it poses no threats to the environment,â said Huang Jialin, general manager of Hangzhou Modern Ship Design & Research Co, the company that designed the ship.
As the shipâs engines and batteries stand testament to our shifting relationship with fossil fuels, however, its cargo shows how far we still are from a complete shift: this fully-electric cargo ship, the first in the world, is earmarked for coal transport. According to Chen Ji, general manager of Guangzhou Shipyard International, the cargo vessel would help greatly reduce shipping costs for electric power operators.
### Uh-oh
> âThe cost of electric power is less than that (of) traditional fuel. The main cost of the new energy cargo ship depends on how much lithium battery it is equipped with,â Chen said for [China Daily](http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2017-11/14/content_34511312.htm).
>
> âTheoretically, 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,â Chen said.
The craft itself may be generating zero emissions on its own, granted, but when looking at the big picture it will be directly involved in amplifying climate change.
I suppose the only thing worse than an electric coal-ferry is a residual oil or coal-burning coal-ferry, however, so one could still call this a win. Cargo ships are some of the l[argest contributors](https://www.zmescience.com/research/studies/pollution-from-marine-vessels-linked-to-heart-and-lung-disease/) to the transport sectorâs overall greenhouse gas emissions, so swapping them for electric ones will be a net improvement. At the same time, since electricity is cheaper than other types of fuel, it would also help bring down the prices of every good that has to be shipped around. Furthermore, the same technology can also be used in other large craft such as ferries, container ships, or vessels used for short hauls.
I find the idea of using e-vehicles to make coal cheaper, however, to be hilariously ironic. Sure, it makes economic sense, but it misses the whole point of clean energy by a country mile. At the end of the day though, if you *are* carrying coal anyway, thereâs no harm in chipping down some of the emissions.
Ă
But ships arenât built in stone. A coal-hauler today could very well be a battery carrier tomorrow. Not an unlikely prospect, considering Chinaâs monumental push towards [solar](https://www.zmescience.com/ecology/renewable-energy-ecology/china-solar-energy-08022017/) energy in particular and renewables in [general](https://www.zmescience.com/ecology/climate/china-invest-360bn-renewable-power-2020/). In the end, no matter how sooty the present may be, weâre actively building the means to create a clean future.

### [Alexandru Micu](https://www.zmescience.com/author/alexandrumicu/)
Stunningly charming pun connoisseur, I have been fascinated by the world around me since I first laid eyes on it. Always curious, I'm just having a little fun with some very serious science. |
| Shard | 92 (laksa) |
| Root Hash | 14543206048787838692 |
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