Ning Yuan Dian Kun, the 740 TEU open-top pure-electric container ship invested in by Ningbo Ocean Shipping Co., Ltd. (NBOS), departed from Ningbo-Zhoushan Port for Jiaxing Port, both located in East China’s Zhejiang province, on April 15th, 2026, officially launching commercial operations. As China’s first 10,000-ton pure-electric intelligent container ship, also the world’s largest of its kind, its maiden voyage marks a new era of pure electric propulsion and intelligent navigation for China’s coastal container shipping. Ning Yuan Dian Kun is the first ship of NBOS’s initial batch of two pure-electric newbuildings, and it will be joined by its sister ship Ning Yuan Dian Peng, soon to be delivered, to form a pair for scaled, regular operations on their designated route.

From design development and rules research to construction survey, the project brought together the strengths of multiple partners, including NBOS, Jiangxi Jiangxin Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute, and China Classification Society (CCS), achieving collaborative breakthroughs in key areas such as battery power system integration, autonomous navigation system development, and the application of rules for intelligent ships.

Closely following the maiden voyage of Ning Yuan Dian Kun was the grand opening of the 10th Maritime Silk Road Port Cooperation Forum. Co-organized by NBOS, a special forum on Shipping and Vessels was held at Ningbo International Conference Center on May 27. The ship’s entry into service served as the centerpiece of the forum, offering a live case study on how electric vessels and intelligent technologies can inject fresh momentum into the green and diversified development of global shipping and enhance supply chain resilience, bearing strong practical significance and forward-looking insights.

In a recent exclusive interview with China Ship Survey, Mr. Qian Genfeng, Deputy General Manager of NBOS, shared his insights on what the success of Ning Yuan Dian Kun means and what value it holds for the future. He offered an in-depth analysis of the company’s green fleet development guided by “piloting first and advancing in phases”, described feeder vessels as a “key enabler” and “testbed” within the green shipping value chain, and shared his outlook on building a diversified fleet powered by multiple green energy sources.

Mr. Qian Genfeng, Deputy General Manager of Ningbo Ocean Shipping Co., Ltd. (NBOS)

Addressing the prevailing digital transition across the industry, Qian laid out some conundrums commonly faced by domestic trade shipping enterprises, notably data silos. He also detailed NBOS’s practical experience in developing intelligent ships and digital fleets guided by the principle of “practical, user-friendly and effective” aligned with operational requirements.

When discussing the future competitive landscape of the sector, Qian clearly stated that fleet capacity will no longer be the sole yardstick for competitiveness. Instead, green and low-carbon performance, digital operation, and integrated supply chain service will together form the new core competitive edge for shipping companies.

Reflecting on the long-standing partnership between NBOS and CCS, Qian reviewed key collaborative achievements in R&D of green and intelligent ship types, rules application, and digital management. He also highlighted optimistic expectations for deeper cooperation on cutting-edge fronts including autonomous navigation, ship-shore coordination, green and low-carbon evaluation, and research on international maritime rules.

Q：As a leading player in China’s domestic container shipping, NBOS’s green and energy-efficient vessels account for nearly 60% of its self-owned fleet. Could you please share your concrete plans on bringing a sizable new energy fleet into practice? How do you view the role of feeder vessels within the green shipping value chain?

A：In recent years, NBOS has consistently made green and intelligent development a key priority for its fleet. At present, green and energy-efficient vessels account for nearly 60% of our self-owned fleet, marking the initial formation of a sizable green fleet.

For our new energy vessel rollout, we are committed to “piloting first and advancing in phases”. Exemplified by the Ning Yuan Dian Kun and Ning Yuan Dian Peng, we focus on exploring commercial models for pure electric propulsion on short-to-medium haul, high-frequency coastal routes. Meanwhile, we continue to advance the construction of green and intelligent vessels, covering methanol-ready capability and intelligent systems integration, so as to gradually build a diversified green energy fleet structure.

We hold the view that feeder vessels constitute a key enabler for the green transition of the shipping industry. Feeder routes feature fixed voyages, regular schedules, and relatively mature port charging infrastructure. All of these provide ideal conditions for the early operation of new energy technologies. Moving forward, feeder shipping will serve not only as an important testbed for green and low-carbon technologies, but also as a key component of regional green logistics networks.

Q：From your perspective, what aspects will define the core competitiveness of shipping companies in the future?

A：In my opinion, competition among shipping enterprises will gradually shift from scale-based competition to competition of comprehensive strengths. While the capacity scale remains relevant, the more decisive factor lies in whether a carrier maintains an advanced fleet structure and green and low-carbon capabilities. As international emission reduction regulations grow increasingly stringent, green transition has evolved from being a “bonus” to a “must”.

Digital operation capabilities will also gain mounting significance. Going forward, merely “owning vessels” will no longer suffice; companies have to master fleet management expertise, achieving safer, more efficient and lower-carbon operations through intelligent ships, digital fleet management and ship-shore coordination.

Furthermore, customer demands are evolving. Shipping companies will compete on far more than basic transport capacity; their integrated supply chain service will become a key differentiator. This encompasses schedule reliability, full-process visibility, and green transport solutions.

All told, green and low-carbon performance, digital operation and integrated supply chain service will jointly constitute the pivotal competitive edge for shipping companies of tomorrow.

Ning Yuan Dian Kun, China’s first and the world’s largest 10,000-ton pure-electric intelligent container ship

[Photo/ NBOS]

Q：Digital transition has become a major trend across the shipping sector. In your view, what are the biggest challenges domestic trade shipping companies face in digital transition? What experience can NBOS offer the industry through its practices in intelligent ships and digital fleet management?

A：I think the biggest challenge for domestic trade shipping companies in digital transition lies in inadequate data interconnectivity, coupled with poor alignment between certain digital platforms and real operational scenarios. Shipping encompasses multiple links including vessels, ports, dispatch operations and equipment. Inconsistent data standards can easily give rise to “data silos”. In addition, some digital systems suffer from the issue of “prioritizing development over practical application”, leaving considerable room for improvement in their actual operational performance.

NBOS has pressed ahead with the development of intelligent ships and digital fleet management over recent years. Taking Ning Yuan Dian Kun as an example, the vessel is equipped with an integrated intelligent platform, intelligent navigation system, intelligent machinery system and intelligent video management system, enabling real-time collection of operational data, unified management as well as ship-shore coordination.

Our key takeaway is that digital transition must be rooted in tangible operational demands and guided by the principle of being “practical, user-friendly and effective”, genuinely serving the goal of enhancing safety and efficiency.

Q：We know that Ning Yuan Dian Kun has obtained survey and certification by CCS. Taking this project as an example, what other representative cooperation achievements have NBOS and CCS delivered in recent years? How would you assess the technical support and professional services provided by CCS throughout this process?

A：In recent years, NBOS and CCS have forged in-depth cooperation centering on areas such as green and low-carbon performance and intelligent shipping. Our collaboration has gradually expanded beyond conventional ship survey to emerging technology scenarios including new energy, intelligence and digitalization.

Beyond the Ning Yuan Dian Kun project, we have maintained strong collaboration in the research and development of green and intelligent ships, the application of rules for intelligent ships, and digital vessel management. Particularly amid the rapid rollout of new technologies across the industry, CCS has not only delivered professional survey services, but also offered tremendous support in rules research, technical verification and industry standards development, providing an important safeguard for us to explore and deploy green and intelligent ship technologies.

We believe that CCS acts as both a key developer of industry rules and a vital technical force driving the development of China’s green and intelligent shipping. I hope both sides will further deepen future partnership and jointly accelerate the wider application of green and intelligent ship technologies.

Q：In what areas can NBOS and CCS further deepen their cooperation on green and intelligent ships in the future?

A：As the world’s largest and the nation’s first 10,000-ton intelligent container ship powered entirely by electricity, Ning Yuan Dian Kun received robust support from CCS throughout all phases, ranging from design and construction to autonomous navigation testing. Specifically, CCS delivered extensive professional technical support for the containerized battery system, intelligent navigation system, and autonomous navigation testing, among others.

Looking ahead, we hope to deepen cooperation focusing on green energy-powered ships, intelligent ships and autonomous navigation, jointly advancing rules research, full-scale ship validation and operational data accumulation for new energy ship types.

Meanwhile, we look forward to strengthened collaboration in ship-shore coordination, digital vessel management, green and low-carbon assessment and research on international rules, jointly facilitating the high-quality development of the green and intelligent shipping industry, and contributing China’s experience to the industry’s low-carbon transition.