New 10,000-ton electric container ship with autonomous navigation begins testing

China has officially kicked off sea trials for the Ning Yuan Dian Kun, the world’s largest fully electric container ship. Built by Jiangxi Jiangxin Shipbuilding, the 10,000-ton vessel departed its dock in Hukou County on February 1 after completing initial mooring tests. It is currently undergoing rigorous performance assessments near Shanghai, scheduled to run from February 6 through February 13.

Measuring 127.8 meters (420 feet) in length with a capacity of 740 TEU, the open-top vessel represents a significant leap in green short-sea shipping. It is powered by 10 containerized batteries with a total capacity of 19,000 kWh, driving two 875 kW permanent magnet motors to a top speed of 11.5 knots.

A standout feature is the ship’s flexibility: it can recharge via high-voltage shore power or simply swap out the battery containers for fresh ones to minimize downtime. It also utilizes a photovoltaic system to harvest solar energy for auxiliary power.

Beyond its propulsion, the ship is highly intelligent. Trials will test its autonomous navigation suite, which handles route planning and collision avoidance. Once delivered, the vessel will join the fleet of Ningbo Ocean Shipping Co., Ltd., serving feeder routes at the Ningbo-Zhoushan port. It will be the first of two such ships commissioned by the company, with a sister vessel, the Ning Yuan Dian Peng, to follow.