World's biggest electric cruise ship begins maiden voyage

The ship will begin commercial operations next month, powered by a gigantic 7,500 kilowatt-hour marine battery from Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd., the world's No. 1 battery maker for electric automobiles.

According to Chinese officials, the Yangtze River Three Gorges 1 cruise ship conducted its inaugural journey on Tuesday in Yichang, Hubei. The vessel, which was created in China, can carry up to 1300 passengers and travel 100 kilometres on a single charge.

The ship sailed up and down the Yangtze River before docking at Yichang. In January, the ship went through many rounds of testing before setting sail.

The ship will begin commercial operations next month, powered by a gigantic 7,500 kilowatt-hour marine battery from Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd., the world's No. 1 battery maker for electric automobiles.

The Yangtze River Three Gorges 1 can carry up to 1,300 passengers and is 100 metres long and 16 metres broad. It can go around 100 kilometres on a single charge, saving approximately 530 metric tonnes of fuel.

According to reports, the ship can sail 100 kilometres on a single charge. It apparently cost $23.5 million to build and emits zero pollutants while providing "minimal noise and low vibration" when compared to diesel engines.

The gigantic cruise liner was built with the help of the Chinese government by the Yangtze power firm, China Three Gorges Corporation, and the Hubei Yichang transportation group.

As China strives to develop a "low-carbon future" in the face of high pollution levels, the ship incorporates an autonomous control system and an intelligent power management system.