Hi Tech Ferries Save Mother Earth

Heeding the call to save Mother Earth, hi tech ferries are leaning toward going green by using alternative source of energy to power up their engines. There is the Solar Sailor from Sydney and the Hornblower Hybrid ferry from San Francisco, which are one of the pioneers when it comes to environmentally-friendly commercial ferries. For private ferry owners on the other hand, there’s the Stealth 520 RUV Executive Ferry that proves fuel efficiency and speed can coexist.

Solar Paneled Ferry

hi tech ferries

The Solar Sailor, Photo by Mad Mariner

Whenever you’re in Sydney Harbor, try to spot a futuristic ferry with solar panels fanning on top because you might just be looking at The Solar Sailor – which is one of the attractions in the Harbor aside from the Opera House and the Harbor Bridge. The Solar Sailor can be powered fully by the sun and wind energy, thus slashing its carbon footprint in half compared to diesel-powered ferries. The solar wings track the sun automatically like a sunflower, and when the weather is not cooperative, they can be retracted and tucked safely away with a push of a button. The ferry can then shift to low-sulfur diesel (even biodiesel) to continue sailing. The Solar Sailor received the Australian Design Award in 2001, thus improving the image of green hi tech ferries around the world. Hong Kong, Germany, and the U.S.A. are just some of the countries ordering green ships from the maker of The Solar Sailor.

Hornblower Ferry

hybrid ferries

Hornblower Hybrid

Ferrying tourists to Alcatraz every day, the Hornblower cuts carbon emission by using two wind turbines and solar panels aside from its fuel-efficient diesel engine. The wind turbines and solar panels are used to power up the hi tech ferries navigation equipment and some of its propulsion engine. The construction materials for the ferry’s interior design are also compliant to LEED’s standards: the interior design uses recycled materials from the carpets to the countertops. And the Hornblower runs on Tier 2 marine diesel engine, which are more environmentally-friendly compared to standard catamaran engines.

Stealth 520 RUV Executive Ferry

super fast ferry

Photo by http://www.hysucraft.com

If you’re an avid collector of private ferries on the other hand, you can also contribute to saving Mother Earth with the Stealth 520 RUV Executive Ferry. This green speed junkie runs on 603kW MAN Diesel Engines and QSPD Surface Propeller Systems combined with sleek, hi tech ferries external design enabling it to consume far lesser fuel compared to its counterparts. Each pair of 6-cylinder diesel engine produces 800 horsepower and consumes only 80 gallons per hour with sustained speed of 46 plus knots.

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