CSL and Australian building materials company Adbri have announced the delivery of MV Yampu, described as the world’s first battery-powered self-unloading bulk carrier, marking a notable development in low-carbon bulk shipping.

The vessel was officially handed over at Jiangjiang Nanyang Shipyard on 5 June, and has since departed on its maiden voyage to commence limestone transport operations for Adbri at Birkenhead, South Australia.

The purpose-built 11,000-deadweight-tonne (DWT) vessel — owned and operated by CSL — has been designed to carry approximately 2.7 million tonnes of limestone annually for Adbri, which, according to CSL, represents a 35% increase in capacity over the ship it replaces.

Equipped with hybrid propulsion technology, MV Yampu is said to be capable of reducing diesel consumption by 25% and cutting Scope 1 emissions by 40% compared to its predecessor. CSL adds that by 2031 the vessel will operate fully on electric power, enabling emissions reductions of more than 90%.

The 125-metre vessel has a gross tonnage of 9,602 tonnes and a total hold capacity of 8,576 cbm, with a maximum discharge rate of 1,500 tonnes per hour and a maximum loading rate of 1,800 tonnes per hour. It features a fixed, single-point loading system with a single hopper, and a cargo-handling system that eliminates the need for cargo shifting during loading—an arrangement CSL says improves the safety and efficiency of cargo operations.

MV Yampu carries Lloyd’s Register classification of +100A1 Bulk Carrier, Self-Unloading, with hybrid power notation, and was built in 2026.

CSL said the vessel is the result of close collaboration between the two companies, reflecting “a shared commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and the decarbonisation of the maritime industry.”