Earlier this month, Chinese automaker Geely Holding splashed “the world’s first” methanol/hydrogen, hybrid electric multipurpose riverboat, marking what is claimed to be an important step in the application of this type of marine technology in China’s shipping sector.
Courtesy of Geely
As divulged, the 64 TEU vessel, named Yuanchun 001, hit the water for the first time in the city of Hangzhou on September 12. The newbuild has reportedly been engineered for both cargo and passenger transport.
It is understood that the launch of the newbuilding represents a ‘significant’ step for Geely’s own transition toward more sustainable operations, particularly in terms of the technology that the vessel features.
According to officials from Geely, Yuanchun 001 utilized the company’s independently developed methanol-hydrogen electric drive system that is said to enable net-zero carbon emissions throughout the unit’s lifecycle, particularly owing
