Isle of Wight Shipyard Constructs Thames’ Inaugural All-Electric Ferry

Construction of an all-electric passenger ferry for London’s River Thames is underway at an Isle of Wight shipyard. This technological development marks a significant milestone for both the capital city and the island. The vessel, named Orbit Clipper, is scheduled to commence passenger service in March next year, operating crossings on the Thames between Canary Wharf and Rotherhithe every ten minutes. It will be recharged by plugging in overnight. The daily passenger target for this service is 20,000. Presently, its unadorned metal framework indicates it is far from completion, with its interior remaining mostly vacant. Sean Collins, chief executive of Uber Boat by Thames Clippers, stated, “It’s double-ended, which means it can dock at both ends.” He added, “It’s great that marine transport is moving in this direction. There has been a zero-emission bus in London for 15 years, so boats are behind.” This project has generated employment for 150 individuals at Wight Shipyard in East Cowes, a facility that previously constructed Thames Clipper vessels utilizing hybrid and diesel propulsion. The workforce includes 18 apprentices, one of whom is island resident Zak Linington. Linington explained, “Right now I’m doing brackets on this boat,” adding, “I had a mentor for two years, and now I am welding on my own. This is a four-year apprenticeship but I’m hoping to qualify in three.” The United Kingdom lags in the adoption of electric ferries; for instance, Norway has operated a battery-powered car ferry for almost a decade. Domestically, Red Funnel has disclosed plans for an electric passenger ferry service between Southampton and the Isle of Wight, which will be constructed in Northern Ireland. Furthermore, in February, cross-Channel operator Brittany Ferries is set to launch the first of two considerably larger hybrid vessels capable of operating on zero-emission battery power within Portsmouth Harbour, reserving fossil fuel engines for use in the Solent. This particular new ferry is currently located in Spain, having journeyed from a Chinese shipyard. Toby Mumford, chief executive of Wight Shipyard, affirmed, “This is the first fully-electric passenger ferry in the UK.” He elaborated, “Lightweight aluminium is key to this, because it will need to take the extra weight of batteries compared with diesel.” Mumford also noted, “We have introduced processes that have never been done before. Each battery room has three different ways to suppress a fire.” However, Mumford indicated that battery power is currently only viable for certain specialized ferry types. He stated, “We have exported to Mexico, Malta and Austria. We are exporting to the Gulf next; they haven’t got the infrastructure to support an electric vessel.” He concluded, “We try to use less fuel, whether the power is diesel, hybrid or electric. If the hull is lighter, it is more efficient. That is how we have ended up at the forefront of this technology.” For updates, BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight can be followed on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Details regarding its external linking policy are available.