Xinhua reports that a battery-electric cargo ship with a load capacity of 1,000 tonnes successfully tested the water at the Yangtze River section in Changzhou on Friday. The vessel, powered by a lithium-ion battery system and supercapacitors, has an energy capacity of 1,458 kWh, according to the Jiangsu branch of the State Grid, which participated in the ship’s design.

Aerial photo taken on 8 May 2020 shows the electric cargo ship Zhongtiandianyun 001 before a test on the Yangtze River in Changzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province. Credit: Xinhua

The Zhongtiandianyun 001 can cruise 50 km, after it is charged for 2.5 hours, said Li Yaohong, marketing director of the company.