Huzhou Launches Its First Citywide Vessel Electrification Demonstration Route, with BOTIX Supporting Green and Intelligent Inland Shipping

On December 11, at the opening ceremony of the Seventh Zhejiang International Intelligent Transportation Industry Expo, Wang Xinping, Member of the Party Leadership Group of the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Transport and Director of the Zhejiang Port and Shipping Management Center, and Wang Xiaojun, Vice Mayor of Huzhou, jointly inaugurated Huzhou’s first citywide vessel electrification demonstration route, connecting Changxing in Huzhou with Zhapu in Jiaxing.

Auto Spring, equipped with the BOTIX Autonomous Navigation System for Inland Vessels, was presented at the Zhejiang Seaport Changxing terminal.

Supporting a national transportation development pilot initiative, Auto Spring departed from Changxing alongside other new energy vessels for Zhapu Port. The route is an important part of the Huzhou Green Shipping Corridor pilot project.

Its launch establishes a standardized, scheduled green waterborne logistics corridor, providing companies in Huzhou and across the Yangtze River Delta hinterland with a more stable, lower-carbon, and lower-cost logistics option while supporting high-quality regional economic development.

In the first year of Zhejiang’s initiative to strengthen its shipping sector, Huzhou identified comprehensive vessel electrification as a central priority for its waterborne transport industry. The city is accelerating the development of China’s largest green and intelligent vessel technology industrial park.

Huzhou has also introduced the Huzhou Green Shipping Regulations, China’s first local legislation dedicated to green shipping, providing policy support for the continued development of new energy vessels.

Auto Spring has demonstrated notable energy-saving and emissions-reduction benefits in inland shipping. For a comparable voyage, the reported energy cost of a diesel-powered vessel is approximately RMB 3,000, while Auto Spring costs around RMB 1,500. The electric vessel also reduces carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 9 tonnes per voyage, reportedly equivalent to the amount absorbed by 150,000 trees in one day.

Song Jinlong, Captain of Auto Spring and an inland mariner with more than ten years of experience, commented: “Compared with a diesel-powered vessel, the electric vessel feels smoother to operate. The engine noise is gone, and it is more environmentally friendly.”

Shore-power infrastructure is also expanding along Huzhou’s waterways, providing vessels with convenient access to electricity while berthed. Coverage is being extended across the city’s waterborne service areas and public anchorages. From 2017 to 2024, Huzhou ranked first in shore-power consumption among inland waterway regions in Zhejiang Province.

The development and launch of Auto Spring represents both an early step in BOTIX’s contribution to greener inland shipping and a foundation for its intelligent transformation.

The vessel is equipped with the BOTIX Autonomous Navigation System for Inland Vessels, the first system in China to complete CCS design review and prototype validation for supporting the requirements of end-to-end autonomous navigation (Nn) and autonomous vessel operation (A1) under the Rules for Intelligent Ships.

The system is designed to enable berth-to-berth autonomous navigation and can be adapted to inland vessels with different propulsion configurations. Its modular and extensible architecture supports improved navigational safety and operational efficiency.

As end-to-end autonomous navigation capabilities mature and relevant operational requirements are met, onboard staffing could potentially be reduced from three crew members to one, further improving operating economics.

A pioneering transition toward greener and more intelligent inland shipping is now taking shape in Huzhou. BOTIX will continue to advance core maritime autonomy technologies and support the realization of Huzhou’s green shipping ambitions.