Canada-based CSL, a specialist in short sea shipping, announced a 20-year strategic partnership with Adelaide Brighton Cement Ltd. (Adbri) to build and operate the world’s first fully electric battery capable self-unloading vessel.

Self-unloading bulk carriers can discharge their cargo without the assistance of shore-based equipment such as cranes, conveyor belts, or loaders. The vessel’s discharge boom allows the cargo to be unloaded onto a dock, barge, or onto the ground. Self-unloading ships are particularly useful in ports or harbours with limited infrastructure or where the cargo needs to be delivered quickly and efficiently.

CSL is the world’s largest owner and operator of self-unloading vessels, the third-largest cement carrier, and a leader in high-efficiency transhipment solutions.

CSL self-unloading bulker

The custom-designed ship will replace Adbri’s Accolade II and will support the company’s limestone operations in South Australia with a focus on enhanced efficiency and environmental responsibility. The ship will carry up to 2.7 million tonnes of limestone per year—a 35% increase over the existing vessel’s carrying capacity.

Developed in line with CSL and Adbri’s shared decarbonization vision, this groundbreaking vessel will initially run on a hybrid diesel and battery system, replacing 25% of diesel with electric power and lowering Scope 1 emissions by 40% compared to Accolade II. By 2031, we aim to run the ship entirely on electric power, further reducing Scope 1 emissions to less than 10%.

—Louis Martel, CSL President and CEO

The design of the 11,000 DWT self-loading and self-discharging bulk carrier has been optimized to provide a fully integrated limestone supply chain for Adbri. The hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system combined with one of the most advanced battery installations on a bulk carrier globally provides a pathway to decarbonise shipping operations.

Approximately 50% of the vessel’s energy requirements will be provided by a combination of shore power and battery energy storage, with plans to install sufficient batteries in the future to allow 100% electric operations.

Construction of the new vessel will begin in 2024 and delivery is expected in early 2026.