China's Wuhu Shipyard and Sandianshui New Energy Technology have introduced a new cargo vessel powered by batteries and built for operation in inland waters.
Puffer Fish Blue 01 (河豚蔚蓝01; Hetun Weilan 01) is notable for being fitted with six swappable 430kWh “plug and play” batteries, which eliminate the need for pierside charging.
The ship has a length of 88.9 metres (292 feet), a beam of 13.2 metres (43.3 feet), a draught of 3.4 metres (11 feet), and a deadweight of 3,000. The design emphasises dual use, as the ship can carry either 132 standard 20-foot containers or bulk cargo of an equivalent total weight.
The unique design has the bridge placed well forward to ensure unobstructed forward visibility for the crew. Because of the bow's aerodynamic design, wind resistance is reduced and the ship is able to achieve higher speeds at the same energy consumption levels.
Since charging of a vessels’ batteries while at berth is expected to take between five and eight hours, this can result in fewer sailings over a given period. Compounding this issue is the fact that many inland ports throughout China are still not fitted with adequate charging infrastructure, thus limiting battery-powered ships’ options with regards to ports that can be visited.
When swappable batteries are used instead, the time a ship needs to spend at berth is significantly reduced.
In the case of Puffer Fish Blue 01, swapping of all six of her batteries can be completed in as little as 30 minutes even without specialised port infrastructure, ensuring quicker turnarounds. The batteries weigh only four tons each, and the development team said their standardised design helps reduce lifecycle costs by as much as 20 per cent.
The batteries are monitored with the aid of an energy management system that can perform automatic recognition and mode switching. The batteries themselves have also proven to be capable of withstanding salt spray, vibration, temperature changes, and other external forces.
The vessel can also navigate safely even when fitted with fewer batteries. This option can be adopted for operation on shorter routes.
The propulsion setup includes vehicle-grade engines, making this one of the first applications of such engines in a commercial vessel, according to the project team.
Other notable features include an intelligent bridge, a collision avoidance system with 360 degrees of coverage, and an automatic berthing and unberthing system. Standardised crew cabins have also been incorporated with the aim of improving onboard living conditions.
Puffer Fish Blue 01 was built in compliance with China Classification Society requirements. The ship will be operated in the stretch of the Yangtze River that passes between the cities of Hefei and Wuhu in Anhui province.
| Puffer Fish Blue 01 | |
|---|---|
| SPECIFICATIONS | |
| Type of vessel: | Bulk and container carrier |
| Classification: | China Classification Society |
| Flag: | China |
| Builder: | Wuhu Shipyard, China; Sandianshui New Energy Technology, China |
| Length overall: | 88.9 metres (292 feet) |
| Beam: | 13.2 metres (43.3 feet) |
| Draught: | 3.4 metres (11 feet) |
| Deadweight tonnage: | 3000 |
| Capacity: | 132 TEUs |
| Batteries: | 6 x 430 kWh |
| Other electronics: | Collision avoidance system; automatic berthing and unberthing system |
| Operational area: | Yangtze River, China |