The Greenwater 01 runs on 10 containerized battery packs, producing zero direct emissions. It operates on China's coastal shipping routes between major port cities, where the distances are short enough for battery-electric propulsion to work without mid-voyage charging.
The ship saves 3,900 kg of fuel per 100 nautical miles, eliminating both CO2 and the sulfur oxide emissions that make shipping a major source of port-area air pollution. Sea trials began in early 2026.
The limitation is range. Battery energy density means electric ships work for coastal and inland routes (hundreds of kilometers) but not transoceanic voyages (thousands). China is addressing different distance segments with different technologies: batteries for coastal, hydrogen for inland rivers, nuclear for transoceanic. It's a portfolio approach to decarbonizing shipping.