Eitzen Orders Two 900-TEU Electric Container Vessels for North Sea Trade

Norwegian maritime investment group Eitzen has placed an order for two battery-electric container vessels as part of a plan to establish an electric freight corridor linking major Northern European ports.

The vessels will be built by China-based Zhejiang Dongpeng Shipbuilding & Repairing Co., with the first ship scheduled for delivery in 24 months and the second in 27 months. Eitzen said its group company Zen will lead the electrification initiative.

Each vessel will have a capacity of 900 TEU, placing them among the largest electric container ships planned for commercial operation. Zen intends to deploy the vessels on a North Sea route connecting Hamburg, Gothenburg and Oslo.

Battery-electric propulsion and 500-600 nautical mile range

The ships will use an electric propulsion system supported by battery packs with a capacity of more than 100 MWh. According to Eitzen, the vessels will have a range of approximately 500 to 600 nautical miles.

The batteries are being developed by an Eitzen Group company and will be manufactured at a facility in Tønsberg, Norway. The company said the battery technology offers twice the volumetric energy density of comparable systems and is designed to remain operational under permanent water immersion.

“Electrification is no longer a concept of the future,” said Fridtjof C. Eitzen, co-founder & CEO of Zen. “It is becoming commercially viable today on selected trade routes. Zen is established to lead this transition and to build the infrastructure required to scale electric shipping.”

Norway supports electric shipping corridor

The vessel project was among seven electric vessel initiatives selected for funding by Norway’s Enova in June 2025. The state-owned fund allocated NOK 200 million, approximately $21 million, toward the development of the electric container vessels.

Infrastructure for charging the vessels is also being developed at the Port of Oslo. Enova awarded NOK 20.6 million, approximately $2.2 million, to the port for a high-voltage shore charging facility at Yilport Oslo.

The planned facility will support battery-powered container vessels with a 6.6 kV connection and a capacity of 7.5 MVA.

Key facts

• Operator initiative: Zen, part of the Eitzen Group
• Vessels ordered: 2 electric container ships
• Capacity: 900 TEU each
• Shipyard: Zhejiang Dongpeng Shipbuilding & Repairing Co., China
• Battery capacity: More than 100 MWh per vessel
• Estimated range: 500-600 nautical miles
• Planned route: Hamburg-Gothenburg-Oslo
• First delivery: 24 months after the order
• Second delivery: 27 months after the order
• Enova vessel funding: NOK 200 million
• Oslo shore-charging funding: NOK 20.6 million

What is the significance of the Eitzen electric container vessels?

The project is intended to demonstrate the commercial use of battery-electric propulsion on selected short-sea shipping routes. By combining electric vessels with dedicated shore-charging infrastructure, the initiative is designed to support lower-emission container transport in Northern Europe.