China's first 64-TEU inland hydrogen fuel cell powered container ship Oriental Hydrogen Port

At 10 a.m. on May 18, under the full safety guarantee of Jiaxing Maritime Bureau, a container ship painted in blue, green and white slowly departed from its berth at Phase II Wharf of Zhapu Port Area, Jiaxing Port. Without the roaring noise and black smoke of diesel engines, only clear water trails were left behind the stern. This is the country’s first inland hydrogen fuel cell-powered container ship with a capacity of 64 TEUs — Oriental Hydrogen Port. Developed by Zhejiang Hydrogen Energy Industry Development Co., Ltd., Huachuang Hydrogen Energy, as the core supplier of hydrogen power systems, undertook the design, integration and manufacturing of the marine high-pressure hydrogen storage system for the vessel.

The marine high-pressure hydrogen storage system onboard Oriental Hydrogen Port features full-chain independent innovation with 100% self-developed core technologies. It has successfully broken foreign technological monopoly over large-capacity marine high-pressure hydrogen storage systems, and established an independent full-process technical system covering cylinder group integration, fixed protection, interface sealing and safety monitoring.

During the research and development process, we targeted core difficulties including the adaptive integration of 60 hydrogen cylinder groups, vibration compatibility above electric propulsion systems and ferrule interface replacement, and conquered a host of key core technologies. The hydrogen storage cylinders and the whole system have obtained CCS certification. The self-developed 410L hydrogen storage cylinder is currently the largest-volume cylinder applied on ships, which greatly reduces connecting points and enhances overall system safety and reliability compared with small-volume cylinders.

The newly designed lightweight fixing structure cuts down system volume and weight, enabling the storage of nearly 600 kilograms of hydrogen in limited space. We have formulated complete standards for the design, manufacture and inspection of high-pressure hydrogen storage systems adapted to inland river ship operating conditions, filling the domestic technical gaps in related fields. This marks a leap-forward development of China’s marine hydrogen storage equipment from follower to leader, and lays a solid technical foundation for the independent research and large-scale development of domestic hydrogen storage facilities for hydrogen-powered vessels.

Picture: Marine High-pressure Hydrogen Storage System of China’s First 64-TEU Inland Hydrogen Fuel Cell-powered Container Ship

Working principle of Oriental Hydrogen Port: Hydrogen stored in high-pressure hydrogen tanks is depressurized and delivered to fuel cell stacks, where it undergoes electrochemical reaction with oxygen in the air to directly convert chemical energy into electric power, driving motors to propel the ship. The whole process only generates electricity, water and heat, with no emission of sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides or particulate matter, realizing true zero-carbon and pollution-free navigation.

Compared with traditional diesel-powered ships, it is not only eco-friendly but also more cost-effective in operation, serving as a solid technical model for the large-scale promotion of new energy inland waterway vessels.

Fully loaded with containers, the hydrogen fuel cell-powered container ship Oriental Hydrogen Port set off slowly from Jiaxing Port towards Xiasha, Hangzhou. It will operate regularly on the fixed 120-kilometer shipping route between Zhapu and Xiasha, building a stable and efficient zero-carbon logistics corridor.

This milestone marks the official entry of the Yangtze River Delta inland waterway shipping industry into the zero-carbon hydrogen energy era, and adds remarkable momentum to Jiaxing’s construction of the Oriental Hydrogen Port and green smart ports. It also achieves a historic breakthrough in the application of hydrogen fuel cell-powered ships on China’s inland waterways.

This maiden voyage is not only a technical verification, but also the official launch of a green shipping route. From alcohol-hydrogen hybrid power to pure hydrogen zero-carbon navigation, Jiaxing is speeding up the establishment of an integrated transportation model featuring green vessels, clean shipping routes and near-zero-carbon ports. The regular operation of this route will effectively reduce the carbon footprint of regional container transportation and boost the ecological and green integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta.

The maiden voyage of Oriental Hydrogen Port symbolizes a crucial transition of port hydrogen energy application from demonstration trials to commercial operation in water transportation scenarios. It also promotes the expansion of local hydrogen energy utilization from single land-based application to integrated land-water application, forming a new pattern of hydrogen energy application covering both land and water fields.