① CATL stated that the decarbonization of shipping is the next certain trillion-dollar track, and systematically expanding from land-based systems to vast water areas will be an important part of the group’s new growth curve; ② Analysis suggests that competition in the electric vessel market is shifting from single battery manufacturing competition to full-chain ecosystem competition.
Cailian Press, December 4th, by reporter Mengran Liu $CATL (03750.HK)$ At today's '2025 China International Maritime Exhibition,' the company unveiled an integrated solution for zero-carbon shipping and smart port navigation under the 'Ship-Shore-Cloud' framework. Yi Yi Su, General Manager of the company’s Marine Division, stated that in the automotive sector, CATL’s market share has approached 40%. Decarbonization in shipping represents the next definitive trillion-dollar market opportunity. Systematically expanding from land-based systems to waterways will become a crucial growth area for the group.
In November this year, company chairman Zeng Yuqun proposed that only by expanding into more usage scenarios can true “all-domain growth” be achieved. Currently, CATL is extending battery applications from passenger vehicles to commercial vehicles, electric vessels, and electric aircraft. In terms of waterways, the solution released this time integrates the entire chain from onboard power systems, shore-based energy replenishment networks, to cloud-based intelligent management.
According to the “White Paper on the Development of China’s Electric Vessel Industry” published by research firm EVTank, it is estimated that by 2026, the market size of China’s electric vessels will reach RMB 36.75 billion.
However, there remain numerous pain points to address in inland river electrification. Zhuang Zhanting, Deputy General Manager of CATL’s Marine Business Division, introduced that inland river electrification still faces concerns regarding energy replenishment, cost, and safety, as well as issues such as high initial investment, lack of confidence in battery life and residual value, and over-reliance on subsidies.
CATL addresses these three major concerns through its “Ship-Shore-Cloud” model. On the energy replenishment side, high-voltage, high-power charging technology enables rapid energy flow, making cargo ship refueling efficiency comparable or even superior to traditional fueling methods. On the cost side, ship batteries with a 15-year lifespan, along with scaled-up recycling, improve efficiency; the “Ship-Shore-Cloud” solution significantly reduces total ship costs compared to oil-powered ships—tugboats by more than 50%, cargo ships by over 33%—enhancing the operational and management efficiency of electric vessels. On the safety side, a comprehensive testing and verification system, classification society certification, and real-time monitoring and early warning via the “Cloud Sail” platform help mitigate risks during pre-deployment in terrestrial labs and the cloud.
Industry insiders believe that electric vessels are not a simple transplantation of land-based technologies; their development must confront challenges posed by harsh operating environments such as high humidity, high salinity, long voyages, and high power demands. Additionally, the competitive landscape of the electric vessel market is evolving, transitioning from single battery manufacturing competition to full-chain ecosystem competition.
Data indicates that CATL entered the marine sector in 2017 and registered CATL Electric Boat Technology Co., Ltd. (“E-Boat”) in 2022. According to company business leaders, the company has provided vessel products and services for nearly 900 electric/hybrid vessels across various types, covering rivers, lakes, and seas, and extending to cargo ships, cruise ships, government vessels, research vessels, workboats, and more.
It should be noted that due to the complexity of waterway environments, electric vessels place greater emphasis on differentiated solutions.
Zheng Bi, Director of CATL’s Marine Battery Solutions, introduced that at the application level, it won’t be a “one-battery-fits-all” approach. For scenic area tour boats and urban passenger ships, pure electric solutions are prioritized, emphasizing silence, comfort, and zero emissions. For inland river cargo ships, “containerized power + battery swapping” is the focus, highlighting long-distance range and high turnover rates. For offshore and special-purpose vessels, different energy density and power characteristics are configured based on routes and energy replenishment conditions, balancing safety redundancy and operational flexibility.
Editor/Liam
