Cargo ships in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province will save more energy and reduce emissions in the near future as a hydraulic energy saving technology from the city has recently passed an acceptance review conducted by experts.

Green development has become a global strategy, while ships are large energy consumers and the shipping industry is the pillar industry in Zhoushan.

To reduce propeller loads, as well as improve the interactions between the hull, propeller, and engine on small and medium-sized cargo ships, the Zhoushan shipping and port bureau, Zhejiang Xinhai Ship Design and Research Institute Co Ltd, and CSIC (Shanghai) Energy Saving Technology Development Co Ltd have worked together to develop high-efficiency and low excitation propellers.

"A 13,500-ton cargo ship equipped with our developed propellers can save 6.67 percent of the energy consumed by the ship without the propellers," said an official from the Zhoushan shipping and port bureau.

With the high-efficiency and low excitation propellers, a 13,500-ton cargo ships can save 120 metric tons of oil, worth 480,000 yuan ($75,000) per year, as well as reduce the emission of 170 tons of carbon dioxide and 8.4 tons of sulfur dioxide.

The propellers will be used in more than 40 small and medium-sized cargo ships in Zhoushan. In the future, the energy-saving product will be promoted throughout Zhejiang and around the country.