CMA CGM, clothing manufacturer Nike and logistics operator Gemadept have officially launched a new fully electric barge solution in Vietnam, designed to reduce the carbon footprint of inland transportation and contribute to Nike’s supply chain decarbonisation efforts.
The 100% electric barge connects Nike’s inland drop-off location in Ho Chi Minh City with Gemalink, Gemadept’s deep-sea terminal in Cai Mep, over a 180km round trip. Powered by electric batteries and recharged with certified renewable electricity, the barge is expected to avoid approximately 778t CO₂e annually. The integrated solution combines the electric barge, dedicated charging infrastructure and renewable energy production through a solar farm at Gemalink. The barge is designed to transport more than 50,000 TEU annually, providing a lower-carbon alternative to road transportation for inland cargo movements. The project is said to illustrate the potential of inland waterways to provide more sustainable alternatives for the transportation of goods while improving the environmental performance of supply chains. Building on CMA CGM’s commitment to decarbonising transport and logistics, the three partners are working together to develop a new, lower-carbon inland waterway transport solution.
Developed by CMA CGM’s newbuild and R&D teams, the electric barge incorporates battery technology from CATL and can be recharged in approximately four hours using certified renewable electricity. Its dedicated charging infrastructure at Gemalink is supplied by a solar farm developed at the terminal, creating an integrated solution that combines low-emission transportation with renewable energy production. The project is designed as a model that can potentially be replicated in other geographies and adapted to other customer supply chains, supporting the broader transition towards more sustainable inland transportation.
Christine Cabau, EVP Assets and Operations, CMA CGM, said: “Decarbonising global supply chains requires moving beyond ambition to deliver concrete, scalable solutions. This fully electric barge is a powerful example of what can be achieved when shipping companies, customers and terminal operators combine their expertise and commitment. Together with Nike and Gemadept, we are demonstrating that innovative, lower-carbon inland transportation solutions are already within reach. Now, CMA CGM aims to build on this success to accelerate their deployment across other markets and supply chains.”
Inage: CMA CGM-developed electric container barge (source: CMA CGM)
