Solar-powered barge to avoid about 778 tonnes of CO₂ annually while moving over 50,000 TEUs between Ho Chi Minh City and Cái Mép deep-sea terminal
Ho Chi Minh City, October 30, 2026 – The Europe Today: French shipping and logistics group CMA CGM, global sportswear company Nike and Vietnamese port operator Gemadept have jointly launched a fully electric barge service in Việt Nam, aimed at reducing carbon emissions from inland freight transport.
The barge links Nike’s inland drop-off location in Ho Chi Minh City, in the area formerly known as Bình Dương Province, with the Gemalink deep-sea terminal in Cái Mép, completing a round trip of 180 kilometres.
Powered by batteries recharged with certified renewable electricity, the vessel is expected to avoid approximately 778 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year. It has been designed to carry more than 50,000 TEUs annually, providing a lower-carbon alternative to road haulage.
The project combines the electric barge, dedicated charging infrastructure and renewable energy into a single integrated system. Developed by CMA CGM’s New Build and Research and Development teams, the barge uses battery technology supplied by CATL and requires about four hours to recharge. Its charging facility at Gemalink is powered by a solar farm developed at the terminal, linking low-emission transport directly with on-site renewable energy generation.
Christine Cabau, Executive Vice-President of Assets and Operations at CMA CGM, said the initiative demonstrated how shipping lines, customers and terminal operators could collaborate to deliver practical, lower-carbon transport solutions. “Decarbonising global supply chains requires moving beyond ambition to deliver concrete, scalable solutions,” she said. “Together with Nike and Gemadept, we are demonstrating that innovative, lower-carbon inland transportation solutions are already within reach.” She added that CMA CGM aims to build on this success by accelerating the deployment of similar solutions across other markets and supply chains.
Đỗ Công Khánh, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Gemadept Corporation and Chairman of Gemalink Deep-Sea Port, said the project brought together electric transport, charging infrastructure and renewable energy, and that the model could be scaled up to support Việt Nam’s transition towards low-carbon logistics.
The partners noted that the project highlights the potential of inland waterways to provide more sustainable freight transport and improve the environmental performance of supply chains, adding that the model could be replicated in other locations and adapted to the needs of different customers.
CMA CGM has operated in Việt Nam since 2006 and maintains five offices in Ho Chi Minh City, Hà Nội, Hải Phòng, Đà Nẵng and Quy Nhơn, employing more than 220 staff.
