China has witnessed a breakthrough in its application of hydrogen fuel cell technology in inland waterway vessels with the maiden voyage of the country’s first hydrogen-powered ship, the Three Gorges Hydrogen Boat No. 1.

The vessel set sail on its maiden voyage in Yichang City in central China’s Hubei Province on October 11, around seven months after its launch.

The vessel has a steel-aluminum composite structure with a total length of 49.9 meters, a beam of 10.4 meters, and a draft of 3.2 meters. Powered by a 500 kW hydrogen fuel cell in tandem with an 1800 kW·h lithium battery system, the ship has a maximum cruise range of 200 kilometers.