At 3 p.m. on February 20, the whistle of the ore terminal in Beilun, Ningbo, Zhejiang, sounded long and loud as "Innovation 19," the country's first methanol single-fuel-powered river-sea direct ship, slowly departed the dock. Carrying 11,000 tons of iron ore, it set sail for Jiangyin, officially embarking on its maiden voyage. The ship is 126.6 meters long, 22.6 meters wide, with a gross tonnage of 9,614. The methanol single-fuel engine onboard was independently developed and designed in China. Its successful maiden voyage marks a practical step forward in the green transformation of China's shipping industry, entering a new phase of large-scale exploration.

Currently, the global shipping industry's green and low-carbon transformation has become a consensus, with countries accelerating the development and application of new ship propulsion systems such as electric power, methanol, and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Among these, methanol fuel, with its advantages of being environmentally friendly, economical, and easy to store and transport, has become an important choice for clean energy alternatives in ships, attracting significant attention from the global shipping industry. According to statistics, by the end of 2025, 439 ships worldwide are confirmed to adopt methanol propulsion, with a peak in deliveries and demand expected in the coming years.

The large-scale application of methanol fuel in ships has long faced technical challenges such as combustion control, component corrosion resistance, and supply adaptation. The smooth maiden voyage of "Innovation 19" is fundamentally attributed to China's independently developed cutting-edge technology. The ship is equipped with the CS8L21M methanol single-fuel medium-speed engine, fully developed by the 711 Research Institute of China State Shipbuilding Corporation. This engine adopts advanced in-cylinder direct injection technology for methanol, achieving a methanol substitution rate of over 90%. It has successfully overcome multiple technical bottlenecks, reaching an internationally advanced level among similar products and providing core equipment support for the development of methanol-powered ships in China.

As a new type of powered ship, there is no mature experience to follow for the safety supervision and maiden voyage assurance of methanol-powered ships. To ensure the safe maiden voyage of "Innovation 19," the Ningbo Maritime Safety Administration established a special working group for methanol-powered ships, proactively intervening and taking the initiative. The group collaborated with relevant units involved in ship design, construction, and inspection to accurately assess the risk points of the methanol fuel propulsion system, assisted enterprises in improving prevention and response measures, and guided them in establishing a 24-hour shore-based support center and corresponding procedures. The group also developed a regulatory service assurance plan and inspection guidelines for methanol-powered ships, specifying 14 comprehensive safety measures to achieve closed-loop management of the ship's "design-construction-commissioning-operation" process. Additionally, through measures such as joint pre-construction inspections and opening a green channel for government services, they not only mitigated safety risks at the source but also efficiently completed the full set of certificates for ship ownership and nationality within just one working day, clearing bottlenecks for the ship's smooth maiden voyage.

The maiden voyage proceeded in an orderly manner. Maritime law enforcement officers, shipping company managers, and technical personnel from the main engine and methanol supply system manufacturers closely monitored the control console screen data, meticulously recording the ship's navigation and propulsion system operating parameters. This firsthand data will provide important references for the design optimization, construction upgrades, and safe operation of future methanol single-fuel-powered ships.

The successful maiden voyage of "Innovation 19" is not only a significant milestone in the green transformation of river-sea intermodal transport in the Yangtze River Delta and the Yangtze River Economic Belt but also a vivid demonstration of China's shipping industry's transition to clean energy. It highlights China's independent innovation capabilities in shipbuilding and green shipping. China's technological breakthroughs and practical exploration in the field of methanol-powered ships will provide valuable experience for the global shipping industry's low-carbon development.