To thoroughly implement Xi Jinping’s Thought on Ecological Civilization, carry out the national guidelines on accelerating the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, further leverage our city’s water transport resources, accelerate the cultivation of new-quality productive forces, advance the practical implementation of the full industrial chain for new-energy inland waterway vessels and shore power facilities along the Suqian-Lianyungang Waterway, and promote cost reduction and efficiency gains in logistics, this plan has been formulated in accordance with the actual conditions of our city.
I. Guiding Principles
Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will anchor ourselves in the new stage of development, implement the new development philosophy, and integrate into and serve the new development paradigm. With a focus on promoting the green, intelligent, and standardized development of inland waterway vessels, and prioritizing the development of new energy vessels and the improvement of supporting facilities, we will strengthen industrial chain cluster collaboration and actively advance the green and high-quality development of the Su-Lian Waterway.
II. Development Goals
By 2030, complete the 102-kilometer Grade II navigation channel improvement project on the Suqian section of the Suqian-Lianyungang Waterway, enabling 2,000-ton-class new energy vessels to navigate smoothly around the clock; add 27 berths for vessels of 1,000 tons or more; and increase port throughput capacity to exceed 50 million tons;Cultivate a new energy vessel industrial cluster, establish the Suqian New Energy Vessel Industrial Park, achieve an annual production capacity of over 300 new energy vessels, promote the conversion of transport vessels of 1,000 tons and above to LNG power, and expand the new energy vessel industry to a scale exceeding 2 billion yuan;Construct two comprehensive waterborne service areas—in Shuyang and Suyu—along the Su-Lian Waterway, as well as five anchorage areas for vessels; build four ship-to-shore power transfer stations and 10 charging stations, transforming the Su-Lian Waterway into a model “electrified canal” brand for the province and even the nation.
III. Key Tasks
(1) Accelerate Infrastructure Development for the Electrified Canal
1. Water Transport Project Upgrading. Focusing on the trend toward larger new-energy vessels, we will coordinate the development of water transport projects such as the high-grade Su-Lian Waterway, large-scale locks, and 1,000-ton-class ports.By 2025, the Su-Lian Waterway will be upgraded to Class III and opened to navigation, with construction of the Class II waterway improvement project commencing simultaneously. By 2030, the Class II improvement project for the Su-Lian Waterway will be fully completed, enabling all-weather navigation for new energy vessels of 2,000 tons and above. Twenty-seven berths for ports handling 1,000 tons and above will be constructed, and port throughput capacity will exceed 50 million tons.
2. Energy Supply Infrastructure Project. Leveraging the implementation of key projects along the Su-Lian Waterway and focusing on enhancing the power supply capacity for new energy vessels, new port terminals, anchorage areas, and waterborne service zones will be constructed. These projects will comprehensively incorporate supporting facilities such as battery swap stations and charging stations for new energy vessels to maximize the fulfillment of their charging and battery swap needs.By 2026, we aim to commence construction of the Shuyang and Suyu Waterborne Comprehensive Service Areas along the Su-Lian Waterway. By 2030, we will have completed 2 waterborne comprehensive service areas and 5 anchorage areas, as well as 4 battery-swapping stations and 10 charging stations.
3. Vessel Propulsion Retrofit Project. Based on a comprehensive inventory of the city’s existing fuel-powered and new energy vessels, we will steadily advance the vessel propulsion retrofit project, striving to transform “innovation variables” into “development increments.” We will actively promote the scrapping and replacement of old operational vessels, phasing out a batch of high-energy-consumption, high-emission,and small-tonnage vessels. We will actively guide inland fuel-powered cargo vessels under 15 years of age to undergo new energy retrofits, gradually promoting the transition of fuel-powered vessels to all-electric, LNG-only, or hybrid (diesel-electric or diesel-gas) propulsion systems. Concurrently, we will ensure that both older inland cargo vessels and newly built vessels are equipped with power reception facilities.By 2030, the city will phase out 200 high-energy-consumption, high-emission transport vessels, retrofit 100 transport vessels with new energy systems, and convert 50 other public service vessels, short-distance tourist boats, and port operation vessels to new energy.
(2) Building a New Energy Vessel Industry Cluster
4. Plan and construct a new energy vessel industrial park. Based on the "Suqian Port Area Industrial Development Plan (2024–2035)," the "Suqian Port and Shipping Land-Based Industrial Spatial Layout Plan (2021–2035)," the revised Suqian Port Master Plan, and the city’s industrial layout, conduct planning studies for a new energy vessel manufacturing industrial park, rationally allocate internal zones within the park, and accelerate its construction.Actively attract technical expertise—including ship design institutes, national laboratories, and academician teams—to establish R&D institutions in Suqian, thereby advancing the city’s capabilities in the standardized, series-based, and intelligent design and manufacturing of electric vessels. By 2027, complete the Suqian New Energy Vessel Industrial Park, which integrates design, R&D, construction, testing, and operation.
5. Cultivate and Strengthen the New Energy Vessel Industry Chain. Attract leading shipbuilding enterprises to establish operations in the New Energy Vessel Industrial Park and accelerate the completion of a new energy vessel final assembly and construction base. Leveraging resource advantages and industrial foundations, foster and expand key industrial chains such as advanced metal materials and energy storage, promote the clustered development of supporting industries such as marine propulsion systems and automation equipment, and build a new energy vessel manufacturing industrial cluster.By 2027, the scale of the new energy vessel industry will exceed 1 billion yuan, with production capacity reaching over 100 vessels. By 2030, the city’s production capacity for new energy vessels will exceed 300 vessels, and the industry’s scale will surpass 2 billion yuan.
(3) Building a Supporting System for the Electrified Canal
6. Energy Supply System.Based on the operational needs of all-electric vessels and route layouts, prioritize the planning and construction of shore-based charging (and battery-swapping) stations in service areas and anchorage zones. Combine vessel power requirements with port infrastructure conditions to reasonably plan the layout and scale of shore power facilities, ensure grid connectivity, and guarantee stable and convenient charging (and battery-swapping) services at major ports, terminals, anchorage zones, and vessel berthing points.Explore integrated development of charging stations for all-electric vessels alongside port-based truck charging stations and new energy storage facilities. Actively promote research and development of new energy engines and energy storage and supply technologies for vessels to establish preliminary supporting capabilities.
7. Safety Assurance System. Strengthen safety controls during the inspection and operation of new energy vessels, fully leverage the technical capabilities of professional institutions in the application of new energy vessels, and actively enhance digital verification service capabilities for battery-powered vessels. Support the construction of ship shore-based control centers and inland waterway vessel operation and control cloud platforms, strengthen the construction of ship-shore communication facilities, and improve remote piloting support capabilities.Strengthen supporting infrastructure such as routine maintenance of the Suqian-Lianyungang waterway and energy-replenishment facilities, and optimize processes such as lock passage and cargo handling to ensure the efficient and safe operation of vessels.
8. Industry Standard System. Systematically review existing domestic and international technical standards for new energy vessels; actively conduct research on regulatory frameworks for supporting facilities such as charging/battery swapping, refueling, and tank refilling/swapping; and establish a comprehensive local standard system covering the entire lifecycle of new energy vessels, including design, manufacturing, inspection, and operation.Prioritize the accelerated development of standards related to the safety of all-electric vessels and the integration of “ship-shore-power” systems, including product and testing standards for marine power batteries and containerized power units; construction and safe operation standards for all-electric vessel charging facilities; design, charging equipment, and connector standards for containerized power charging stations; and vessel manning standards.Establish a dynamic update mechanism for technical standards, regularly collect information on technological developments and changes in market demand, ensure the timeliness and applicability of standards, and provide standard-based support for the safe and reliable operation of new energy vessels.
(4) Cultivating Demonstration Models for Electrified Waterways
9. Demonstration Models for Electric Vessel Applications.Building upon the comprehensive transition to new energy for public service vessels, short-distance tourist boats, port operation vessels (shuttles, tugs, garbage and sewage collection vessels, debris removal vessels, etc.), and short-haul cargo vessels on municipal waterways and lakes, prioritize the exploration, development, and summarization of experiences from new energy vessel application demonstration projects to form a replicable, scalable, and sustainable development model.By 2030, Suqian will be established as a model for new energy vessel applications at the provincial and even national levels.
10. Research and Demonstration Model for Electrified Waterways. Strengthen cooperation with renowned universities and research institutions nationwide and across the province, actively introduce high-level external resources for the R&D and design of new energy vessels, and vigorously promote the development and application of vessel hull technologies for new energy vessels as well as the optimization of LNG-powered vessel designs. Focus on addressing bottlenecks such as battery range, recharging efficiency, and cost control, and enhance high-performance batteries and management systems,rapid charging technology, optimization of vessel energy management systems, and the development of remote monitoring and fault diagnosis platforms. Actively promote the adoption of new energy sources in inland waterway vessels and river-to-sea direct-service vessels. Establish platforms for exchange and cooperation, form an industrial innovation alliance, and jointly tackle key technological challenges such as battery technology and propulsion systems to enhance the overall innovation capacity of Suqian’s new energy vessel industry.
11. Demonstration Models for Business Model Innovation. Support key supporting enterprises—including shipbuilders, shipping operators, energy suppliers, and financial institutions—in actively participating in the commercial development of new energy vessels. Promote business model innovation for the electrified canal, explore the “vessel-power separation” model, and have third-party standardized containerized power supply leasing companies provide services such as public battery design, manufacturing, leasing, recycling, and disposal;Explore new business models such as integrated “charging station + photovoltaic” energy services at ports and integrated “photovoltaic + energy storage” operational models to reduce vessel operating costs and improve the operational quality of our city’s electrified waterways. By 2030, establish a commercial operational model characterized by clear property rights, smooth operations, high quality, and scalability.
12. Green Transport Route Demonstration Models. Conduct an in-depth analysis of national and local policies and regulations regarding new energy vessels and green transportation. Combining current new energy vessel technology levels, application examples, the characteristics of our city’s waterways, transport demand, and vessel types, we will encourage enterprises with significant new energy vessel manufacturing and transport needs to pilot the operation of new energy transport vessels in Suqian, thereby cultivating demonstration routes for new energy vessels.By 2030, our city will have at least two leading new energy vessel enterprises that rank among the best in the province, cultivate five demonstration routes for new energy vessels connecting inland waterways to the sea, and actively establish demonstration models for new energy vessel transport routes.
IV. Support Measures
(1) Strengthen Organizational Coordination. Strengthen unified leadership over the “Electrified Canal” construction efforts and coordinate major matters related to the project. The Municipal Transportation Bureau, in conjunction with relevant departments, will establish a “Electrified Canal” work coordination mechanism to clarify departmental responsibilities, enhance collaboration and synergy, and strengthen interdepartmental communication to form a cohesive working force.
(2) Strengthen Policy Support. Actively seek national support policies for new energy vessels, and secure funding from central budgetary investments, provincial special fiscal funds, green credit, and green bonds to support the electrification and electrification retrofitting of vessels and the construction of shore power facilities.Prioritize land allocation for “Electrified Canal” project construction, and accelerate the advancement of lock infrastructure, energy supply assurance projects, as well as the construction and renovation of dedicated shore power lines and supporting power grids. Research and formulate measures to grant priority lock passage and berthing rights to new energy vessels. Explore the establishment of a green shipping credit system and incentivize enterprises to adopt new energy vessels through means such as green shipping certification.
(3) Strengthen Implementation of the Plan. Departments, local governments, and enterprises must focus on development goals and strengthen the implementation of tasks. The People’s Governments of Shuyang County and Suyu District shall strengthen organizational leadership, break down targets and tasks into specific actions, improve the accountability system, and introduce supporting policies.The Municipal Transportation Bureau shall closely monitor and analyze the progress and challenges of the “Electrified Canal” initiative, conduct timely evaluations of policy implementation, and promote proven practices and successful experiences; it shall also intensify publicity and guidance efforts, actively promote new energy vessels to user units, and raise public awareness throughout society.
