A two million euro project to develop a “zero emissions” solution for high-speed passenger ferries is yielding positive results, according to the research team led by Solent University in England.
The group also involving Chartwell Marine and Newcastle Marine Services, aims to develop an electric hydro-foiling high-speed trimaran, which can carry up to 40 passengers on short to medium-range coastal routes.
The project is being funded by Innovate UK, a British government initiative.
Initial testing has demonstrated the potential for a foiling trimaran with low drag and power requirements, according to Giles Barkley, leader of Solent University’s yacht engineering-based degrees.
“A traditional, diesel-powered, 40-passenger catamaran ferry operating at 25 knots typically requires well over 1000kw of power,” Barkley says.
“The trimaran foiling ferry concept has the potential to reach 28 knots using just 250kW of power - equivalent to the power used by two modern electric family cars (2×125Kw motors),” he says.
“This means it is possible to power the craft using zero-emission electric motors, with a significant reduction in associated fuel and operational costs compared to a traditional diesel craft,” he says.
Solent University project lead Dr Laurie Wright, who is associate professor of marine sustainability, says that recent advancements in electrical propulsion technology mean “zero-emission, low-drag, high-speed medium-capacity passenger vessels are now viable”.
"These types of passenger vessels can open “blue corridors”, encouraging a shift from road to alternative transport on otherwise underutilised coastal waterways,” Wright says.
The UK Government is funding the development of new clean maritime technology across a two-year period in 12 regions. It aims to generate highly skilled jobs and position Britain as a “world leader in low carbon maritime”.