CMA CGM and Nike Launch 180-km Round-Trip All-Electric Container Barge in Vietnam

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 29, CMA CGM, together with Vietnamese port operator Gemadept and Nike, officially commissioned the "CMA CGM Electra," an all-electric inland container barge, at the Gemalink deep-water port in Ho Chi Minh City. The vessel transports Nike cargo between the consolidation point in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Binh Duong Province) and the Gemalink terminal, covering a round trip of 180 km, with a designed annual capacity of over 50,000 TEU and zero direct greenhouse gas emissions during operation.

The vessel has a cargo capacity of 182 TEU, a gross tonnage of 3,500 tonnes, and a battery system capacity of approximately 8,000 kWh. It is equipped with two 300 kW electric motors, takes about 4 hours for a full charge, and can also complete a battery swap in about 30 minutes while loading and unloading containers. The charging power comes from a dedicated solar power plant within Gemalink port, with an expected annual generation of approximately 1 GWh.

CMA CGM told The Business Times that the initial investment in the electric barge is approximately twice that of an equivalent diesel-powered barge. The project's financial viability depends on the combination of three conditions: charging infrastructure, renewable electricity supply, and long-term customer commitment. Nike has signed an 8-year agreement committing to use 90% of the barge's capacity. This cargo volume guarantee enables CMA CGM to calculate revenue and the investment payback period, rather than bearing the risk of high initial investment alone. CMA CGM and Gemadept also signed an agreement in 2025 to establish a joint venture, Green River Transportation, responsible for operating the electric barge and developing inland waterway transport in the Mekong Delta.

The vessel was designed by CMA CGM's newbuilding and R&D team, with battery technology supplied by CATL, built by Shandong New Energy Shipbuilding, and featuring a "wide flat hull + shallow draft" design tailored to Vietnam's inland waterways. The project was first announced in December 2024 and completed commissioning in October 2026, with an expected reduction of approximately 778 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

CMA CGM currently operates 29 weekly mainline services in Vietnam, calling at 7 ports. The three parties stated that this model can be replicated in other markets and customer supply chains.