https://cleantechnica.com/2025/12/05/catl-expects-oceanic-electric-ships-in-3-years/ * Skip to content CleanTechnica [INS::INS] [ ] * Clean Energy + Solar Energy + Wind Energy + Energy Storage + Geothermal Energy + Smart Grid + Energy Efficiency * Electric Vehicles + All EV News & Analysis + EV Sales + EV Total Cost of Ownership + EV Reviews o Tesla Model 3 Long-Term Review o Tesla Model Y Long-Term Review o Tesla Model S Long-Term Review o Chevy Bolt EUV Long-Term Review o All Reviews * BYD News * Tesla News * Exclusives + CleanTechnica Analysis + CleanTechnica Reviews + CleanTechnica Reports & Guides + CleanTechnica.TV (YouTube) + CleanTech Talk (Podcast) * Series Pages + Electric Vehicle Charging o EV Fleet Charging o How to Charge An EV At Home o Fast Home EV Charging + Battery Powered EV Charging + Aftermarket Tesla Accessories + Best Tesla Accessories + Home Efficiency + Microgrids Explained + Vanadium Flow Batteries Demystified + Home Solar -- Simplified + Climate Resilience Prize + Sustainable Innovation * About + Connect With CleanTechnica + Testimonials: Why Readers Love CleanTechnica + Contact CleanTechnica + Support CleanTechnica + Advertise With CleanTechnica + Our Team + Editorial Ethics + Terms of Use + Mission & Vision + Invest + Privacy Policy + RSS + Syndicate Our Content [CATL-powered-tugboat-Qinggang-Tug-1-800x445] Qinggang Tug 1 CATL battery-powered tugboat, courtesy of CATL. CATL Expects Oceanic Electric Ships in 3 Years December 5, 20251 day ago Christopher Arcus 0 Comments --------------------------------------------------------------------- Support CleanTechnica's work through a Substack subscription or on Stripe. --------------------------------------------------------------------- News in batteries and electrification has been coming fast and furious lately. Recently, Su Yi, the head of CATL's marine division, stated, "CATL's marine business already covers inland rivers, lakes, and coastal waters, and is now advancing toward ocean-going applications." "In the near future -- perhaps within the next three years -- we will achieve pure-electric vessels navigating the open seas." CATL is determined to provide zero-carbon marine transportation. CATL has not been content to merely make batteries, but has dedicated efforts towards application in several sectors, including grid storage, passenger vehicles, and ships. CATL's marine division has been in operation since 2017, expanding efforts in shipping. In 2023, it introduced a comprehensive battery replenishment solution including battery swapping, charging, and a cloud-based system providing shared mobile application of containerized power for optimal efficiency and economics. Those efforts resulted in several major products, containerized mobile power, high-voltage high-power charging systems, and the cloud information platform. This comprehensive system provides a seamless solution for electric ships. [CATL-Marine-Battery-System]CATL marine battery system, courtesy of CATL. Sharp-eyed readers may have noticed CATL's recent discussion with shipping giant Maersk and that it has been busy collaborating with shipping partners. CATL has supplied batteries for over 900 vessels, including the Yangtze River Three Gorges 1 cruise ship, the world's first pure electric ocean-going passenger ship, and the Qinggang Tug 1 tugboat. [CATL-Battery-Powered-Cruise-Ship]CATL battery-powered cruise ship, courtesy of CATL. [CATL-powered-passenger-Ferry-Boat-Yujian-77]Yujian 77 CATL battery-powered ferry boat, courtesy of CATL. [CATL-powered-tugboat-Qinggang-Tug-1]Qinggang Tug 1 CATL battery-powered tugboat, courtesy of CATL. Recent battery price drops indicate that possibilities for long range electric shipping are improving. The expected timeline for electric shipping dovetails with the expected timeline for sodium-ion battery (SIB) volume production and resulting cost reductions. The material costs of SIBs are expected to lower costs significantly, opening up applications and speeding up electrification. While passenger transport has been successfully electrified, with EVs surpassing ICE parity with battery costs well below $100/kWh enabling widespread adoption, ships can increasingly take advantage of lower-cost batteries for expanded electrification. Studies have shown that long-distance electric ships with up to 5,000 km of range can be successfully utilized using today's battery capabilities, without significant weight and volume. CATL appears to be aware of this. Marine division head Su Yi notes CATL's "full-spectrum growth" strategy, with goals to electrify maritime and aviation sectors. Sodium-ion technology may remove the last barrier to widespread maritime electrification. [electric-shipping-in-depth]Photo by Christopher Arcus --------------------------------------------------------------------- Sign up for CleanTechnica's Weekly Substack for Zach and Scott's in-depth analyses and high level summaries, sign up for our daily newsletter, and follow us on Google News! --------------------------------------------------------------------- Advertisement [INS::INS] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Have a tip for CleanTechnica? Want to advertise? 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CleanTechnica's Comment Policy --------------------------------------------------------------------- Share this story! * Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp * Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * Christopher Arcus has studied wind, electric vehicles, and environmental issues. An electrical engineer familiar with power and electronics, he has participated in the Automotive X Prize contest. He is an avid writer, specializing in electric vehicles, batteries, and wind energy. Christopher Arcus has 44 posts and counting. See all posts by Christopher Arcus [b5abc2bb0e669] Support independent cleantech journalism by donating directly to CleanTechnica! 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