CMA CGM launches first electric barge in Vietnam

CMA CGM, in partnership with Gemadept and Nike, has launched the CMA CGM Electra, the first fully electric inland container barge in Vietnam. The vessel operates on a 180 km round trip, connecting Nike’s cargo collection points in the Binh Duong area to the Gemalink deep-sea terminal at the Cai Mep - Thi Vai port complex.

The barge is designed to handle over 50,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually and is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 778 tons per year. Utilizing CATL battery technology, the vessel can be recharged in about four hours. The charging infrastructure at Gemalink is powered by certified renewable electricity from an on-site solar farm.

Nike has committed to an eight-year agreement to fill 90 percent of the vessel’s capacity, providing the commercial foundation necessary to offset the higher initial investment costs of electric vessels compared to diesel alternatives. The project serves as a scalable model for decarbonizing global supply chains through integrated renewable energy and low-emission transport.