Shirley Meng

Battery scientist and materials researcher whose work focuses on energy-storage materials and advanced rechargeable batteries. She is a professor at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and serves as chief scientist of Argonne National Laboratory’s Collaborative Center for Energy Storage Science.

Fixed Routes Make Passenger Ferries a Practical Test for Battery Shipping

Bloomberg’s report argues that passenger ferries are among the most practical ships to electrify: fixed routes and predictable port calls make it easier to calculate battery needs and recharge between trips. The case is illustrated by China Zorrilla, a 130-meter ferry under construction with more than 40 megawatt-hours of battery capacity, though its costs and the charging infrastructure it requires remain significant hurdles. The report presents ferries as a proving ground for battery propulsion, not a model for long-distance ocean shipping.

Bloomberg OriginalsOct 26, 20265 min read