Yangtze River's first purely methanol-powered ship launches
2025-07-31 20:07:51
By Chen Si.
The Yangtze River Basin's first pure methanol-powered ship, the Changhang Cargo 006, was launched in Zhijiang on July 28.
Built by Yangtze River Shipping Cargo Co., Ltd, the ship is 130 meters long, 16.2 meters wide, and 7.4 meters in depth. With its designed draft, it can carry 7,500 tons of cargo and has a range of 3,000 kilometers.
"This ship is the first methanol-fueled vessel on the Yangtze River. Its dual direct injection technology for methanol and diesel enables a methanol replacement rate of up to 95 percent," said Min Wei, methanol ship project manager at Zhijiang Shengmao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.
Compared to conventional diesel-powered ships, the use of green methanol in this vessel can reduce carbon emissions by 95 percent. A single methanol-fueled medium-speed engine can cut carbon emissions by over 5,000 tons annually. It also reduces nitrogen oxide emissions by 60 percent and sulfur oxide emissions by up to 99 percent, with an overall fuel replacement rate of 90 percent.
The Changhang Cargo 006 is expected to enter official operation at the end of September and will be deployed on the Shanghai-Chongqing route.
Wang Xu, director of the Zhijiang Equipment Industrial Park under the Yichang Shipbuilding Industrial Park, said the park has 114 ship orders this year, totaling 2.74 billion yuan. Among them, 100 are for new energy vessels, accounting for 87.7 percent.
Fu Jiangshan, Zhu Shengeng and Huang Jiecheng contributed to this story.
The Yangtze River Basin's first pure methanol-powered ship, the Changhang Cargo 006, was launched in Zhijiang on July 28.
Built by Yangtze River Shipping Cargo Co., Ltd, the ship is 130 meters long, 16.2 meters wide, and 7.4 meters in depth. With its designed draft, it can carry 7,500 tons of cargo and has a range of 3,000 kilometers.
"This ship is the first methanol-fueled vessel on the Yangtze River. Its dual direct injection technology for methanol and diesel enables a methanol replacement rate of up to 95 percent," said Min Wei, methanol ship project manager at Zhijiang Shengmao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.
Compared to conventional diesel-powered ships, the use of green methanol in this vessel can reduce carbon emissions by 95 percent. A single methanol-fueled medium-speed engine can cut carbon emissions by over 5,000 tons annually. It also reduces nitrogen oxide emissions by 60 percent and sulfur oxide emissions by up to 99 percent, with an overall fuel replacement rate of 90 percent.
The Changhang Cargo 006 is expected to enter official operation at the end of September and will be deployed on the Shanghai-Chongqing route.
Wang Xu, director of the Zhijiang Equipment Industrial Park under the Yichang Shipbuilding Industrial Park, said the park has 114 ship orders this year, totaling 2.74 billion yuan. Among them, 100 are for new energy vessels, accounting for 87.7 percent.
Fu Jiangshan, Zhu Shengeng and Huang Jiecheng contributed to this story.
