Renewable-Powered Battery Swaps: Unlocking Ship Electrification At Global Canals - CleanTechnica

The Maersk McKinney Moller Institute's late 2024 analysis affirmed that battery-electric ships are increasingly viable and competitive due to declining battery costs, improved energy density, and ease of integrating battery containers on vessels. However, the study underestimated the pace of battery price reductions, using outdated figures ($300 per kWh) compared to recent prices as low as $51 per kWh in China. This highlights the accelerating economic feasibility of electrified shipping. A recurring suggestion in discussions is mid-ocean recharging or "electron bunkering," where ships could recharge at offshore stations during long voyages, reducing the need for large onboard batteries. Despite the conceptual appeal of mid-ocean charging—potentially supported by offshore wind farms with battery storage—the article argues that practical and economic realities make such infrastructure unlikely. Offshore facilities are exponentially more expensive than onshore ones due to engineering complexity, maintenance challenges, and remote logistics, with costs increasing roughly tenfold offshore and even more subsea. Even the well-funded