Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL) said on Wednesday it plans to expand the use of its battery technology from inland and coastal waterways to full ocean-going vessels, as it deepens its push into marine electrification.
CATL’s marine battery business currently serves vessels operating on inland rivers, lakes and coastal waters, and is now advancing toward applications in open seas, according to Su Yiyi, head of the company’s marine division.
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“In the near future — perhaps within the next three years — we will achieve pure-electric vessels navigating the open seas,” Su said during a media briefing on electric marine solutions held in Shanghai.
The world’s largest supplier of electric vehicle batteries entered the marine electrification sector in 2017 and set up a dedicated subsidiary in November 2022 to focus on battery systems for waterborne transportation. To date, CATL has supplied battery systems for nearly 900 vessels and holds about 40% of the global market share in marine battery applications, the company said.
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CATL’s expansion into marine electrification comes alongside broader diversification into aviation-related battery solutions. Last month, Autoflight, a Chinese electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer backed by CATL, unveiled a waterborne vertiport jointly developed with the battery maker. The facility uses fully electric vessels to support aircraft takeoffs, landings, charging, and digital coordination.
Separately, on July 25, China’s first pure-electric tourist vessel, the “Yujian 77,” co-developed with CATL, entered commercial service. The vessel uses CATL’s marine battery system and operates along coastal routes, demonstrating the commercial viability of zero-emission electric propulsion in maritime tourism, the company said at the time.
