Chatgpt generated image of large battery-electric catamarans moving beyond the small harbour ferry category.
Ferries are public infrastructure that happen to float. They are marine buses, freight bridges, medical access routes, school links, tourism arteries, repair crew shuttles, food supply chains, and island lifelines. When they fail, communities notice at once. When fuel costs rise, farepayers and taxpayers notice soon after. That is why … [continued]
Ferries in Europe emit more CO2 than 6.6 million cars and are responsible for more air pollution than all the cars in major cities like Barcelona, Dublin or Naples. CO2 emissions from ferries in Europe’s ports equivalent to 6.6 million cars Dublin (IE) is the most polluted ferry port in 2025, … [continued]
ChatGPT generated panoramic aerial image of a traditional RoPax ferry disturbing shallow coastal sediments, illustrating wake turbulence and potential methane release pathways
I was recently asked if reducing ship speeds is the only available solution to the methane emissions documented in a recent study from the journal Communications Earth & Environment. The research, focused on ship traffic in Neva Bay, Russia, revealed that vessels traveling faster than 12 knots with hull drafts … [continued]
ChatGPT generated diagram illustrating how a ship's wake disturbs seabed sediments in shallow coastal waters, releasing methane bubbles into the water column.
Ship-induced methane emissions from shallow seabed sediments have recently emerged as a previously overlooked greenhouse gas pathway. Recent research published in high-impact factor journal Communications Earth & Environment has provided substantial new data on ship-induced methane emissions. While my initial math on oceanic cargo shipping suggest that such emissions remain … [continued]
ChatGPT generated this impressionistic rendering of the Viking Line Helios electric ferry, capturing its futuristic design and the sense of speed as it powers through the sea
Viking Line’s recently announced fully electric ferry, Helios, represents one of the most ambitious maritime electrification projects to date, and offers a powerful indicator of how quickly and fundamentally ferry travel is being transformed by battery-electric propulsion. Expected to be delivered in the early 2030s, it will operate between Helsinki … [continued]
ChatGPT generated landscape image of port-side infrastructure with ferry charging stations, showcasing practical considerations and infrastructure requirements for electrification
Seventy percent of ferries currently on order globally now feature electric drivetrains, a remarkable shift underscoring just how rapidly maritime transportation is decarbonizing. Norway has about 70 electric ferries running already, and there are likely north of 200 globally. There are about 15,400 ferries in operation around the world, new … [continued]
ChatGPT generated impressionistic rendering of the China Zorrilla, a sleek electric Buquebus ferry, capturing its vibrant motion and clean energy future across the Río de la Plata
The launch of the all-electric ferry China Zorrilla, expected to be operating between Argentina and Uruguay, represents a landmark event in global maritime electrification. Commissioned by Buquebus, a major regional ferry operator connecting Buenos Aires and Montevideo, this vessel is—for now—the largest battery-electric passenger and vehicle ferry in the world. … [continued]
ChatGPT generated panoramic image of a ship labeled "H2" partially built and rusting in an abandoned ship construction yard
Recently I published a roundup of quite awful hydrogen maritime trial efforts, and ended with a request that if others knew of more, they should share. A few additional ones bubbled up and there were a couple of minor corrections and delightful additions. I encourage those who haven’t read the … [continued]
ChatGPT generated panoramic image of a Norwegian ferry labeled "H2" burning kroner as it sails across a fjord
As the years pass and more re-enactments of the Odyssey of the Hydrogen Fleet are played out, they get staged in multiple settings, much like Shakespeare’s Tempest being staged in a waterpark in Germany in 2019. In recent months, I’ve curated a couple of lists of hydrogen bus and train … [continued]
Electric ferries have been available for years, but you don’t have see large orders for them (or any orders for them). Lisbon is shaking things up, though. It will be getting 10 electric ferries, with the internal muscle and brains coming from ABB. Public ferry company Transtejo is putting these … [continued]
