First US Hydrogen-Fueled Ferry Okayed For Commercial Operation
The title of this post, is the same as this of this article on OffshoreEnergy.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
US-based shipping company SWITCH Maritime has received approval from the U.S. Coast Guard for its hydrogen-powered ferry Sea Change to enter commercial operations.
This is the first paragraph.
As informed, the company was presented with the signed Certificate of Inspection (COI) by Captain Taylor Q. Lam, the U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Francisco commander and Captain of the Port, for its flagship hydrogen ferry.
This paragraph gives more details of the ferry.
Built and launched at All American Marine shipyard in Bellingham, Washington, Sea Change is a 75-passenger catamaran ferry featuring an integrated hydrogen power system from Zero Emission Industries (ZEI), with 360kW of fuel cells from Cummins and 600kW of electric motor propulsion from BAE Systems.
As the electric motor propulsion is 600 kW and there are only 360 kW of hydrogen fuel cells, I suspect there is a battery in there somewhere.
The Orkney Islands have their own hydrogen ferry project called HySeasIII.
The Orkney ferry uses 600 kW of Ballard fuel cells.
There is no news this year about what is happening to the Orkney project.
The First North American Commercial Hydrogen Ferry Is In The Works
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Hydrogen Fuel News.
The 84-passenger ferry will be called Sea Change and will operate in the San Francisco Bay Area.
What is interesting about this project are some of the companies and organisations involved, who include BAe Systems, Cummins and the California Air Resources Board, who are chipping in with a $3 million grant.
I’ve said before that Cummins are making investments in hydrogen and modern, reliable and eco-friendly ferries across iconic rivers and estuaries wouldn’t harm the companies involved in their creation.
This page on the Switch Maritime gives more details of the Sea Change.
Ferries Across The Mersey
The current Mersey Ferries in Liverpool entered service in the 1960s.
These pictures shows Snowdrop, when she had been given a razzle-dazzle paint scheme by Sir Peter Blake.
Note.
- There is more about this colour scheme in the Wikipedia entry for Dazzle Ship (14-18 NOW).
- Snowdrop is much larger than the Californian ferry
- Mersey Ferries are different and the current pair will need to be replaced soon.
To me, hydrogen is the obvious choice for propulsion for a new ferry.
Freeport East
Freeport East is a new freeport to be built around the ports of Harwich and Felixstowe.
It will also be a hydrogen hub, as this infographic shows.
I would expect that the ferry between the two ports will be upgraded to a hydrogen one.
Conclusion
Ferries will be one of the first application of hydrogen power to ships.
The Anonymous Widower 