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Battery Technology for Maritime Applications China Introduces Battery Swapping for Cargo Ships

From Henrik Bork | Translated by AI 3 min Reading Time

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Battery swapping for electric vehicles is a technology that is becoming increasingly popular. Instead of waiting at a charging station, an empty battery is exchanged for a full one within minutes. An estimate cited by the agency Jato predicts that the number of automotive swapping stations in the People's Republic will grow from 3,500 in 2023 to 16,000 by the end of this year. Now, this concept is expanding to e-ships.

The swapping of batteries could play a role in the future not only for electric cars but also for cargo ships (symbol image).(Image: freely licensed under Pixabay)
The swapping of batteries could play a role in the future not only for electric cars but also for cargo ships (symbol image).
(Image: freely licensed under Pixabay)

A shipyard in China is implementing the battery-swapping concept for its electric cargo ships. In April this year, the 3,000-ton freighter "Hetun Weilan 01" was launched at the Wuhu Shipyard in Wuhan. The name translates to "Ocean Blue Pufferfish Number 1" in German. Developed jointly by Wuhu Shipyard Co., Ltd. and Tri Waters New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., the cargo ship is equipped with six batteries for its electric propulsion, each with a capacity of 430 kWh. It takes only five minutes to replace one of the nearly four-ton batteries. The shipyard calls their vessel "the first dual-use ship for the transport of containers and bulk cargo on inland waterways with battery pack swapping."

New Standard

What is special about the freighter's battery system is the fact that a new standard has been introduced for the energy storage units, allowing their use not only onboard but also in ports, writes the Chinese science newspaper Keiji Ribao in its report on the launch. On land, the batteries can be used in heavy-duty trucks, heavy forklifts, autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs), and as energy storage units. The flexible usage possibilities make it easier to amortize the acquisition costs.

With the help of exchange robots, the technology could also be used in smaller and medium-sized ports, adds the shipping-focused newspaper "Zhongguo Shuiyun Bao." Manufacturers hope for the emergence of a complete ecosystem for their interchangeable batteries on and along China's busy rivers and canals.

The prospects for this are quite favorable, as the Chinese government is promoting the electrification of both maritime and inland shipping. Initiatives with cumbersome yet clear names like "Protection of the Yangtze River and Green Transformation of the Yangtze Economic Belt" inspired the 123-year-old shipyard, which had previously been successful in building chemical tanker ships, to establish a "New Energy Project Team" two years ago. This team later gave rise to the startup "Tri Waters New Energy Technology."

Advantage: Quick Exchange

In 2023, CATL invested in the Wuhu shipyard, which is now gaining attention with battery swapping. According to analysts, the smart electric cargo ships being built there complement another business unit of the Chinese battery manufacturer, which builds electrically powered cargo ships in the port city of Ningde in Fujian province.

A study by the Maersk-McKinney-Moller Institute in Denmark concluded last year that battery-electric shipping is becoming increasingly competitive with diesel-powered ships worldwide, thanks to falling battery prices, increasing battery energy density, and technological innovations in the integration of battery containers on ships.

In this promising new world of low-emission freight shipping, battery swapping could potentially play a central role, Cleantechnica recently wrote in a report. "Specifically, battery-swapping systems could utilize the existing infrastructure at the Suez Canal, Panama Canal, and Strait of Malacca—possibly even in the Strait of Gibraltar. Containerized batteries stored at docks could be quickly swapped while ships wait for canal passage or transit through heavily trafficked straits," states Cleantechnica.

Potential for Various Types of Mobility

China's entrepreneurs aim to be significantly involved in this transformation of global shipping from the very beginning. Robin Zeng, CEO of CATL, sees great potential for battery swapping both for electric cars and commercial vehicles. By 2030, EV owners in China will meet one-third of their energy needs through home chargers, public charging stations, and battery swapping, according to a CATL forecast.

Cargo shipping, like commercial vehicles, has a particularly high interest in avoiding long waiting times for recharging batteries. Handling costs in ports are a significant cost factor in the industry.

CATL is currently building 300 new battery swapping stations for heavy-duty trucks in 13 different regions of China, which are set to be completed by the end of this year. Batteries that can be swapped between these e-trucks and inland cargo ships fit perfectly into this concept. (se)

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