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China’s largest all-electric bulk carrier launched in central China

By Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan 4 min read

Wire desk byline Sourced from Xinhua, Dawn, Arab News, Anadolu and Minute Mirror. Translated and abridged by the GSRRA Desk.

China’s largest all-electric bulk carrier launched in central China

This drone photo taken on Oct. 23, 2025 shows the all-electric bulk carrier Gezhouba in Yichang, central China’s Hubei Province. China’s biggest all-electric bulk carrier, named Gezhouba, was launched on Thursday in Yichang, central China’s Hubei Province, marking a key milestone in the country’s green and intelligent shipping sector. The vessel, with a length of nearly 130 meters and a maximum load capacity of over 13,000 tonnes, is equipped with 12 lithium battery power units providing total energy capacity of 24,000 kWh. Its developer said this vessel allows for rapid battery swapping and boasts a range of 500 kilometers. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

China’s biggest all-electric bulk carrier, named Gezhouba, was launched on Thursday in Yichang, central China’s Hubei Province, marking a key milestone in the country’s green and intelligent shipping sector.

The vessel, with a length of nearly 130 meters and a maximum load capacity of over 13,000 tonnes, is equipped with 12 lithium battery power units providing total energy capacity of 24,000 kWh.

Its developer said this vessel allows for rapid battery swapping and boasts a range of 500 kilometers.

In terms of intelligence, the ship features an advanced smart control system that enables remote navigation and automatic berthing, integrated with multi-link communication networks.

Chinese Academy of Engineering academician Yan Xinping highlighted that this project goes beyond single-product innovation — as it successfully validates core technologies like large-capacity batteries and distributed DC power systems.

The carrier is expected to save approximately 617 tonnes of fuel annually and reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by 2,052 tonnes. ■

This drone photo taken on Oct. 23, 2025 shows the all-electric bulk carrier Gezhouba in Yichang, central China’s Hubei Province. China’s biggest all-electric bulk carrier, named Gezhouba, was launched on Thursday in Yichang, central China’s Hubei Province, marking a key milestone in the country’s green and intelligent shipping sector.

The vessel, with a length of nearly 130 meters and a maximum load capacity of over 13,000 tonnes, is equipped with 12 lithium battery power units providing total energy capacity of 24,000 kWh.

Its developer said this vessel allows for rapid battery swapping and boasts a range of 500 kilometers. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

This drone photo taken on Oct. 23, 2025 shows the all-electric bulk carrier Gezhouba in Yichang, central China’s Hubei Province. China’s biggest all-electric bulk carrier, named Gezhouba, was launched on Thursday in Yichang, central China’s Hubei Province, marking a key milestone in the country’s green and intelligent shipping sector.

The vessel, with a length of nearly 130 meters and a maximum load capacity of over 13,000 tonnes, is equipped with 12 lithium battery power units providing total energy capacity of 24,000 kWh.

Its developer said this vessel allows for rapid battery swapping and boasts a range of 500 kilometers. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

This drone photo taken on Oct. 23, 2025 shows the all-electric bulk carrier Gezhouba in Yichang, central China’s Hubei Province. China’s biggest all-electric bulk carrier, named Gezhouba, was launched on Thursday in Yichang, central China’s Hubei Province, marking a key milestone in the country’s green and intelligent shipping sector.

The vessel, with a length of nearly 130 meters and a maximum load capacity of over 13,000 tonnes, is equipped with 12 lithium battery power units providing total energy capacity of 24,000 kWh.

Its developer said this vessel allows for rapid battery swapping and boasts a range of 500 kilometers. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

This aerial photo taken on Oct. 20, 2025 shows batteries for the all-electric bulk carrier Gezhouba are hoisted at the dock in Yichang, central China’s Hubei Province, Oct. 23, 2025.

China’s biggest all-electric bulk carrier, named Gezhouba, was launched on Thursday in Yichang, central China’s Hubei Province, marking a key milestone in the country’s green and intelligent shipping sector.

The vessel, with a length of nearly 130 meters and a maximum load capacity of over 13,000 tonnes, is equipped with 12 lithium battery power units providing total energy capacity of 24,000 kWh.

Its developer said this vessel allows for rapid battery swapping and boasts a range of 500 kilometers. (Photo by Zheng Jiayu/Xinhua)

Workers are seen at the construction site of the all-electric bulk carrier Gezhouba in Yichang, central China’s Hubei Province, Oct. 19, 2025.

China’s biggest all-electric bulk carrier, named Gezhouba, was launched on Thursday in Yichang, central China’s Hubei Province, marking a key milestone in the country’s green and intelligent shipping sector.

The vessel, with a length of nearly 130 meters and a maximum load capacity of over 13,000 tonnes, is equipped with 12 lithium battery power units providing a total energy capacity of 24,000 kWh.

Its developer said this vessel allows for rapid battery swapping and boasts a range of 500 kilometers.

Reference Link:- https://english.news.cn/20251023/f9aa3208f02847fbb0ba18c14a74ef30/c.html

Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan
Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan Founder & Chair, Global Silk Route Research Alliance

Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…

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