On February 10, China’s first thousand-ton-class pure methanol electric intelligent fleet, custom-built by CHN Energy Anhui Branch, arrived fully loaded with 2,000 tons of coal at the Luxi Port Terminal in Hefei City, east China’s Anhui Province. The commissioning of the fleet marks the expansion of the company’s coal waterway transportation business into the fields of new energy and intelligent shipping.
The fleet is equipped with a hybrid power system combining methanol-generated electricity and lithium batteries. It features two 280-kilowatt methanol generator sets along with high-capacity lithium battery packs. The vessels use methanol as fuel for energy replenishment and can switch to a fully electric mode when navigating environmentally sensitive waters. With a single refueling, the sailing range exceeds 1,000 kilometers. Estimates show that, compared with traditional diesel-powered vessels, the fleet reduces energy consumption costs by 40 percent and overall operating costs by 30 percent.
In terms of intelligent technology, the vessels are fitted with a multi-source radar-based smart navigation system integrating collision avoidance warnings and remote operation and maintenance diagnostics. The system acquires real-time information on channel conditions, hydrology, weather and nearby vessel movements, while providing shore-based personnel with remote monitoring support.
Earlier this year, the Anhui Branch signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Tongling City to collaborate in areas including industrial carbon dioxide resource utilization, pure methanol production, integrated energy terminal construction and the promotion of green inland river vessels. The goal is to achieve full coverage of the Group’s green shipping capacity across Anhui’s inland waterways during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.
