China’s first large-scale methanol-powered fleet held its groundbreaking ceremony in Wuhu.

On July 3, the “Fulfilling the Dual-Carbon Mission, Pioneering a New Chapter in Shipping—Groundbreaking Ceremony for a 10,000‑ton, 130‑meter Methanol‑Powered Bulk Carrier” was held with great fanfare at the Wuhu shipyard, marking a new stage of development for China’s inland methanol‑powered vessels—moving from technological validation to mass construction and large‑scale deployment.

Representatives from the Yijiang District Government of Wuhu City, Hunan Zhihang Jianghai Shipping Co., Ltd., industry-chain partners, Wuhu Shipyard, Sanshui New Energy, and other government, industry, academia, and research institutions gathered to jointly witness the groundbreaking ceremony for China’s first large-scale methanol‑powered vessel fleet.

The ten 130-meter methanol‑powered bulk carriers now under construction are being built by San Dian Shui New Energy, a subsidiary of Wuhu Shipyard. This project marks the first domestic effort to achieve large‑scale, standardized, and centralized construction of methanol‑powered inland vessels, setting a benchmark for the industry. Each vessel has an overall length of 130 meters and is capable of navigating year-round along the entire A, B, and C sections of the Yangtze River, as well as the key J1 and J2 navigation segments, making it suitable for all‑area transport on the river’s main stem. The ships are equipped with two standardized methanol‑fuel‑powered main engines; their propulsion systems are mature, stable, and highly standardized, facilitating efficient mass‑production maintenance and iterative upgrades. Compared with conventional oil‑fueled vessels, these ships leverage clean methanol energy to achieve substantial reductions in carbon emissions and sulfur oxides, fully complying with stringent environmental standards while also delivering strong long‑term operational cost efficiency for shipping operators—making them exceptionally competitive across multiple dimensions.

According to reports, once delivered, this batch of standardized methanol‑powered bulk carriers will be operated by Hunan Zhihang, with routes spanning the Yangtze River mainstream from Chenglingji in Hunan to Jiangyin Port in Jiangsu. Primarily tasked with carrying bulk cargoes, these vessels are expected to serve as a scalable, replicable model for advancing the green and low‑carbon transformation of inland waterway shipping on the Yangtze.

As the project contractor, San Dian Shui New Energy is focused on tackling core technologies for new‑energy vessels and advancing their industrial application. Addressing key technical challenges related to the adaptability, cost‑effectiveness, and environmental performance of inland‑water methanol‑powered ships, the company has optimized vessel design for navigating complex sections of the Yangtze River at the 10,000‑ton class, ensuring efficient and stable system operation, thereby laying a solid technological foundation for the large‑scale construction and deployment of such vessels.

As the country’s first large-scale methanol‑powered inland fleet, this project not only represents a major milestone in the commercialization of San Dian Shui New Energy’s R&D achievements, but also serves as a key initiative for Wuhu City to establish a leading green and intelligent shipbuilding industry cluster in the Yangtze River Delta and to build a low‑carbon inland shipping ecosystem.

At the groundbreaking ceremony, industry experts, leading figures from the supply chain, and representatives of shipowners unanimously agreed that the mass construction and large-scale deployment of inland‑waterway methanol‑powered vessels will effectively address the challenge of reducing emissions in inland shipping, driving the sector’s comprehensive transition from a traditional, high‑energy‑consumption model to a green, intelligent, and high‑quality one.

Looking ahead, San Dian Shui New Energy will continue to deepen its innovation in green shipping technologies, iteratively expand and diversify its portfolio of low-carbon vessels, and steadily advance the large-scale deployment of its new‑energy ship technologies.