Dutch Ship Designer Unveils 40 MWh Fully Battery-Electric Cargo Ship For Shortsea Routes

Building on the widely built coastal coaster platform, Conoship International introduces battery powered option

The transition to zero-emission short-sea shipping requires practical, low-risk solutions. While alternative fuels continue to mature, battery-electric power offers an immediate route to 100% emission-free operations for dedicated coastal corridors, fixed shuttle loops, and environmentally sensitive waters.

To meet this growing demand, Conoship International is expanding its CIP-Series with a purpose-engineered fully electric configuration of the proven CIP3800 platform.

Proven General Cargo Platform Meets Electric Power

The foundation of the fully electric CIP3800 general cargo vessel is rooted in the optimized hull form carrying it. Battery-electric propulsion requires extreme energy efficiency, and the CIP3800 platform provides an ideal, field-proven baseline.

With numerous vessels of the CIP-Series already built and trading, the platform’s optimized hull lines and low resistance profiles have been rigorously validated both in model tanks and real-world operations. This proven hydrodynamic performance directly translates into lower power demands per nautical mile, making large-scale battery storage commercially feasible for targeted short-sea operations.

“The strength of the CIP3800 lies in its versatility. Shipowners don’t need to adopt unproven, experimental ship designs to explore zero-emission options. By building on a platform with an outstanding track record at sea, operators retain all the core advantages of the CIP series: optimized hold volume, low fuel/power demand, and building flexibility. All this while unlocking electric capability for specific trade loops.”– Maarten Sickler, Sales Director at Conoship International

Key Operational Capabilities

40 MWh Modular Energy Storage: Configured with a high-capacity 40 MWh battery installation, the vessel offers an operational range of 350 nautical miles at 10 knots or up to 650 nautical miles at 8 knots (including sea margin and hotel load allowances).

Optimized Cargo Space: The design retains its signature single, box-shaped cargo hold design. It comes with a capacity of 4,737 () and an intake of 3,200 t, making it perfectly suited for bulk commodities and project cargo.

Split-Room Weight Distribution: To prevent excessive trim and eliminate the need for extra deadweight water ballast, the 40 MWh battery plant is intelligently distributed across dedicated forward and aft battery compartments.

Competitive Net Payload: While energy storage systems add lightship weight, the complete removal of heavy fuel oil, marine gas oil, lubricating oils, and sludge tanks offsets this difference. This ensures net usable payload remains highly competitive for short-sea trades.

Chemistry-Agnostic & Future-Proof: Built on Conoship’s modular design philosophy, the battery architecture accommodates different cell chemistries (such as high-density NMC or long-lifecycle LFP) depending on specific route requirements, lifetime cycle profiles, and shore-charging setups.

Route-Tailored Decarbonization

The electric CIP version will not be a direct replacement for other general cargo operations; rather, it is a specialized, zero-emission tool for short-sea routes where shore power infrastructure and fixed sailing schedules allow it. Scandinavian fjord corridors and zero-emission ECA zones are some of these examples. Additionally, as infrastructure develops, and technology progresses, we expect more options to become available for (fully) electric solutions.

Whether powered by diesel-electric generators, methanol-ready engines, or a 40 MWh battery plant, the CIP-Series remains the premier platform for modular, flexible, and sustainable short-sea logistics.

Flexible Range Extension and Operations

To account for evolving shore power availability and unpredictable operational profiles, the battery-electric architecture can be integrated with a compact, downsized generator set. Potentially running on sustainable drop-in biofuels, serving as an optional range extender or emergency take-home system. This gives shipowners operational flexibility on unconstrained routes while maintaining the sustainable baseline for green shipping corridors.