China launches first river-sea zero-carbon shipping route in Zhejiang using pure electric vessels and trucks

China has launched its first river-sea intermodal zero-carbon transport route in Zhejiang Province, connecting Jiaxing Port to Ningbo Zhoushan Port. The route uses pure electric container trucks, inland river vessels, and a 10,000-ton class electric sea vessel called the Ningyuan Dianpeng, which carries 742 TEUs and runs on containerized battery packs with 20,000 kWh capacity. The full chain covers 330 to 350 kilometers and is designed to be a replicable model for decarbonizing coastal and inland waterways. The first cargo on the route is knock-down auto kits from Geely's Changxing factory. According to Ningbo Zhoushan Port, the route is expected to cut annual CO2 emissions by 4,800 tons and reduce logistics costs by 7.4 million yuan. A sister ship, the Ningyuan Diankun, has already been operating on the Ningbo-Jiaxing route since April, saving 67 tons of fuel and reducing CO2 by about 168 tons in its first month. This launch marks a practical step in electrifying freight transport at scale. The combination of electric trucks, river barges, and sea vessels in a single zero-emission corridor is a first for China and could be a template for other port-to-port routes. The project also demonstrates that electric container ships at the 10,000-ton class are commercially viable, with measurable fuel savings and emissions reductions already reported.