Emission Reduction Over 90%! China's First Methanol Single-Fuel River-Sea Direct Ship Successfully Completes Maiden Voyage

On February 14th, Jiangsu Qinfeng Shipyard’s dock sounded its horn as the country’s first methanol-fueled direct route cargo ship—“Chuangxin 19”—set sail for Ningbo Zhoushan Port. This is China’s first 15,000-ton methanol-only fuel vessel on a dedicated route, and its maiden voyage marks a significant step toward the commercial application of methanol fuel in China’s shipping industry. The core advantage of “Chuangxin 19” lies in its advanced methanol-only fuel power system. The onboard methanol engine is fully independently developed by China, utilizing advanced in-cylinder direct injection technology, successfully overcoming technical bottlenecks such as efficient clean combustion and corrosion-resistant key components. It is currently the only globally leading medium-speed engine powered solely by methanol, demonstrating China’s自主实力 in this field. The engine has a rated power of 1,600 kilowatts, maintaining performance comparable to traditional diesel engines, with a methanol substitution rate exceeding 90%. It is estimated that using green methanol could achieve over 90% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, 60% reduction in nitrogen oxides, and 99% reduction in sulfur oxides, making its environmental benefits highly significant. (CCTV News)