Dong Fang Qing Gang, the country's first river-going 64-TEU container vessel powered entirely by hydrogen fuel cells, has been completed and received its classification certificate from the China Classification Society for domestic navigation.

Built by Jiaxing Binhai Holding Group, a company based in Jiaxing, East China's Zhejiang province, the vessel is positioned as a zero-carbon model for inland shipping. It is 64.5 meters long and equipped with two 240-kilowatt hydrogen fuel cell units, with only water as a by-product, enabling zero-carbon operation throughout its full range. With 550 kilograms of hydrogen storage, the vessel can travel about 380 kilometers and meets all safety requirements set by the China Classification Society.

Data from the International Maritime Organization show that global shipping produces about 1.07 billion metric tons of carbon emissions annually, accounting for 2.89 percent of worldwide carbon dioxide output. From January to November, Jiaxing handled 706,000 twenty-foot equivalent units in inland container throughput, up 13 percent year-on-year, with more than 99.9 percent transported by oil-powered vessels. Hydrogen, with its clean, renewable, and efficient characteristics, is viewed as an ideal propulsion option for green shipping.

Part of the Zhapu Port-Xiasha Port river route, this new vessel is expected to cut carbon dioxide emissions by about 700 tons each year, a reduction comparable to the ecological contribution of a forest of over 66 hectares, with its delivery and classification marking a major step in applying hydrogen technology to inland container transport.