Japan's first lithium-ion battery hybrid cargo ship unveiled

According to a report from Kyodo News on March 4, NS United Domestic Shipping Company (Tokyo), a subsidiary of Nippon Steel u0026 Sumikin Group, unveiled Japan’s first hybrid cargo ship equipped with lithium-ion batteries in Tokyo on the 4th. It can sail for about 6 hours at most with the power battery alone. This is expected to promote energy conservation, reduce environmental impact and improve the working environment of crew members.

The domestic cargo ship 'Utashima' (499-ton class) completed on February 27, with a total length of 76.19 meters and a width of 12.00 meters, will be used to transport the new day. Iron and gold steel. The ship is equipped with 2,828 battery packs composed of 24 Toshiba lithium batteries, equivalent to the battery capacity of about 2,700 ordinary hybrid vehicles (HV).

The battery can be charged when sailing with a diesel engine, and the fast charging equipment when parked will also be improved. If the battery provides electricity to the electric motor and drives the propeller to sail, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are almost zero.

Although the shipbuilding cost is close to twice the original, the fuel consumption is expected to be reduced by 20 to 30%. By reducing the operation of the diesel engine, the time to keep the ship quiet can be increased, and it is convenient for the crew to rest. The managing director of NS United Domestic Shipping, Kutaro Wada, said that 'this will promote the reform of working methods.'

The ship owner of Utashima is Mukoshima Dock Company (Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture), manufactured by Koike Shipbuilding and Shipping Company (Osaki Ueshima Town, Hiroshima Prefecture), and NS unites with domestic shipping Responsible for shipping.