China’s first hydrogen-powered boat makes maiden voyage

The ‘Three Gorges Hydrogen Boat No 1’, China’s first hydrogen-powered vessel, made its maiden voyage in Yichang City in central China’s Hubei Province on Wednesday morning, marking a breakthrough in the country’s application of hydrogen fuel cell technology in inland waterway vessels.

The vessel has a steel-aluminium composite structure with a total length of 49.9m, a beam of 10.4m, and a draft of 3.2m. Powered by a 500kW hydrogen fuel cell, the ship has a maximum range of 200km.

After delivery, it will be used for transportation, patrol and emergency response in the Three Gorges reservoir area and between the Three Gorges-Gezhouba dams.

The boat has been jointly developed by China State Shipbuilding Corporation, China Yangtze Power Corporation and Jianglong Shipbuilding, and institutions Wuhan Changjiang Ship Design Institute and the Three Gorges Navigation Authority.

It also becomes the first hydrogen-powered boat certified by the China Classification Society.

Recently the application of new energy power propulsion technology has become a key focus. Hydrogen energy is pollution-free, renewable and highly efficient, and hydrogen fuel cells can boost energy efficiency, achieve zero emissions and improve cruise comfort, making them ideal power propulsion devices for green ships.

Compared with traditional fuel-powered ships, hydrogen-powered vessel is expected to replace 103.16 tonnes of fuel oil and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 343.67 tonnes each year.

The vessel can have energy supplied at the green electricity and green hydrogen demonstration station of the Three Gorges located at the Yangjia Bay in the lower reaches of the gorges.

As China’s first inland dock-type hydrogen production and refuelling station, it uses the clean electric energy generated by the Three Gorges power station to electrolyse water to produce hydrogen, which will be directly supplied to hydrogen-powered ships after compression, storage and filling. The station can supply 240kg of hydrogen per hour.