French shipping major CMA CGM has launched its first fully electric container barge in Vietnam. This is supported by the construction of a solar-powered charging station at the Cai Mep port, the country’s main container gateway, near Ho Chi Minh City. The electric barge will operate along the 180 km route between Binh Duong province and the deepwater port of Cai Mep, with committed use by its long-standing client Nike. It will be powered by a dedicated charging station, connected to a new solar farm at Gemalink terminal. This measure will avert 778 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, says a release. It’s the first of a series of solutions with integrated operational innovations that connect infrastructure, energy and logistics — and a clear step towards CMA CGM’s net-zero objective by 2050, the release adds.
Tracking changes in ocean environments
Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd said it recently deployed three units of ocean observation instruments, called ‘Argo floats’, to monitor changes in ocean environment and global climate off the coast of Chile. They were deployed from the wood chip carrier operated by MOL Drybulk Ltd. An Argo float, 2 m in length and weighing about 20 kg, is installed with mechanisms for floating and sinking, sensors and communication. Once the float is deployed, the computer and batteries in the main unit will automatically perform observations for over four years, says a release from Mitsui. The Argo float supports the global ‘Argo Program’ involving more than 25 countries and regions, in cooperation with the World Meteorological Organization and other organisations.
