World’s Largest Electric Cruise Ship Makes Maiden Voyage in Central China

The Yangtze River Three Gorges 1, powered purely by electricity, made its debut in Yichang City, central China’s Hubei Province on March 29, marking its official operation sightseeing trips along the scenic Yangtze River Three Gorges.

The ship, which is 100 meters long, 16.3 meters wide and 4 meters deep, can carry up to 1,300 passengers. It is powered by a massive 7,500-kilowatt-hour marine battery, the equivalent to the total battery capacity of more than 100 electric vehicles, according to the Publicity Department of Yichang Municipality.

The Yangtze River Three Gorges 1 has claimed four records in the global electric passenger ship technical field, including the largest battery capacity, the largest number of battery packs, the most comprehensive security measures and the most abundant propulsion load. At the same time, the ship is equipped with advanced technologies such as facial recognition, AI intelligent analysis, intelligent lighting, and one-click scene layout, which will provide tourists with a high-tech and trendy smart voyage experience.

The local branch of State Grid has built a full-coverage charging network for the ship. It can replenish electricity in multiple ports by means of high voltage charging and low voltage replenishment. The electric cruise ship can travel 100 kilometers on a single charge, the equivalent of 530 metric tons of fuel, and will account for a reduction of over 1,600 tons of emissions each year.

Source: The Publicity Department of Yichang Municipality