Yuanchun 001, the flagship vessel on the new green route. [Photo/Tide News]

Hangzhou opened its first green methanol-hydrogen powered inland shipping route on Dec 5, marking China's first dedicated inland container line using the new energy technology.

Yuanchun 001, a vessel of 64 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) departed from Xiasha Port for Zhapu Port, was the flagship on the new green route. It combines liquid methanol-hydrogen fuel with smart controls, delivering over 1,000 kilometers of range, four times that of comparable pure-electric ships, while achieving near-zero emissions.

On the same day, the 96-TEU three-deck vessel Zhegang Inland 080 made its first call at Xiasha Port, providing key support for navigational verification.

The new route arrives as sea-river intermodal transport continues to rise. Since trial operations began in July 2023, Xiasha Port has opened 13 domestic and foreign trade routes via the second channel of the Grand Canal, including the Xiasha-Zhapu-Ningbo service operated by six 64-TEU vessels. By December, the port's annual throughput is expected to exceed 180,000 TEUs. Sea-river intermodal transport has helped cut logistics costs by 20 to 23 percent compared with traditional road transport.

According to Hangzhou Port Group, the large-scale application of next-generation vessels and the launch of new green routes will significantly boost inland shipping capacity. Once fully operational, the route will strengthen waterborne links between Hangzhou, Jiaxing and Ningbo, create a more efficient water-to-water transshipment network, lower logistics costs for businesses, and inject green momentum into regional high-quality development.

The Xiasha Port. [Photo/Tide News]