Hutchison Ports Yantian (YANTIAN) and QIJI Energy, a subsidiary of EV battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL), have announced the launch of the world's first on-dock chassis battery swapping station specifically designed for electric trucks.

Yantian noted that the implementation of the project — which was supported by government authorities — represents a significant step forward in its goals to develop a green and smart port.

[Source: Hutchison Ports Yantian]

"YANTIAN and QIJI Energy have revolutionised port transportation with this groundbreaking on-dock chassis battery-swapping initiative in response to 'Shenzhen's Truck Battery Swapping Service Network Pilot Programme," the announcement said.

It noted that this system transforms the traditional hour-plus charging process into a mere five-minute operation, allowing electric trucks to return to service at their full power. 

The partnership between YANTIAN and QIJI Energy involves building a chassis battery swapping station and a cloud platform.

Aside from supporting Yantian's commitment to sustainability, this initiative will also decrease energy costs by 20%.

Yantian said this station will serve around 100 electric trucks and is expected to reduce annual diesel consumption by over 2,000 tons and direct carbon emissions by more than 5,000 tons, significantly improving the air quality around the port while optimising port logistics efficiency.

"As a pioneer in green port development, Yantian is the only port in the world to have won the 'Best Green Container Terminal' award four times. Over the past decade, our annual throughput has increased by 24%, while carbon emissions per container have decreased by 33%," said Lawrence Shum, managing director of Yantian.

"The launch of QIJI Energy's on-dock chassis battery swapping station will significantly enhance operational efficiency and reduce logistics costs while effectively lowering carbon emissions. This aligns perfectly with our development strategy. We look forward to more new energy vehicles joining us on this journey toward building a green port and sustainable development," he added.

Following its promotion of liquefied natural gas (LNG) trucks, Yantian is once again driving large-scale adoption of clean energy trucks by utilising chassis battery-swapping electric trailers for port operations.

The deployment of this on-dock chassis battery swapping station not only resolves the battery life limitation for electric heavy-duty trucks but also further enhances operational efficiency at the port.

Yantian noted that with this first on-dock chassis battery swapping station now operational, it plans to gradually introduce more chassis battery swapping heavy-duty trucks into its operations based on usage effectiveness.

QIJI Energy's "QIJI Battery Swapping" solution is an integrated system that includes battery swapping blocks, swapping stations, and a cloud platform.

It provides both cost savings and environmental benefits for the logistics industry.

Looking ahead, Yantian said it will strengthen its partnership with QIJI Energy to support high-quality development at Shenzhen ports and align with national dual-carbon strategic objectives.

Jun Yang, general manager of QIJI Energy, said chassis battery swapping benefits include increased efficiency, enhanced economic advantages, improved safety, and significant contributions to environmental protection.

In addition to developing a smart port and enhancing its infrastructure, Yantian noted that it is also actively expanding its shipping services network.

This year, it has added 18 new services covering the United States, South America, Mediterranean, Australia and Asia, which offers more destinations and allows Chinese companies to import and export efficiently through multiple channels.

Yantian offers about 100 international weekly liner services, over 60% of which connect to Europe and the US.