CATL expects oceanic electric ships in three years

Solar and Onboard Generation Limits

• Multiple comments calculate that even fully covering a large ship (∼20,000 m² deck) in PV yields only 1–2 MW average, vs ~40–60 MW required for propulsion.
• Even with “perfect” panels, solar would cover only single‑digit percent of propulsion needs; deck space is mostly occupied by cargo anyway.
• Wave and “regenerative propeller” ideas are largely dismissed as negligible for propulsion-scale energy.

Wind, Sails, and Hybrid Concepts

• Wind (modern sails, kites, vertical turbines) is seen as genuinely promising, especially combined with batteries.
• Some think we may see a partial return to sail, at least as hybrid assistance, although scaling to large container ships has serious engineering challenges.

Battery Density, Range, and Feasibility

• Core debate: diesel’s vastly higher energy density vs quickly improving batteries.
• Several “back-of-the-envelope” calculations suggest that for a ~14,000 TEU ship with ~5,000 km range, battery mass and volume could be within ~2x current bunker fuel capacity, costing perhaps tens of millions of dollars.
• Others argue this underestimates real energy needs for full transoceanic legs (20–40 GWh), making batteries orders of magnitude off in both cost and practicality for long-haul.

Ports, Charging, and Containerized Batteries

• Charging a multi‑GWh pack in 1–2 days implies ~100 MW+ port connections; compared to smelters and major ports, this is big but not inconceivable.
• Proposals: large port battery banks as buffers; standardized container-sized battery modules swapped during normal cargo handling.
• Critics note infrastructure takes decades, needs standardization, and would initially be limited to a few major ports.

Energy Shipping & Floating Infrastructure

• Some envision “battery tankers” or ships whose cargo is energy (Sahara or offshore wind → charge in desert/ocean → discharge near cities).
• Others sketch floating wind/battery stations along shipping lanes; feasibility is unclear and would still require heavy regulation.

Nuclear and Other Alternatives

• Nuclear-powered ships (icebreakers, subs, SMR concepts) are cited as proof of energy density, but seen as uneconomic, politically fraught, and high-crew-cost for commercial shipping.
• Hybrid diesel-electric with batteries for coastal legs and emission-control areas is viewed as the most realistic near-term path.

Risk, Materials, and Outlook

• Fire risk of large lithium packs sparks debate; sodium-ion is mentioned as safer but less energy-dense.
• Consensus: batteries are clearly viable for ferries, tugs, and coastal/medium-range “oceanic” routes in Asia; true transoceanic battery-only cargo ships by 2028 is widely seen as optimistic to implausible.