The first fully electric, high speed passenger ferry in the southern hemisphere was officially launched Tuesday in Wellington, where the locally built vessel will take commuters across Wellington Harbour (Te Whanganui-a-Tara.)
Constructed by the Wellington Electric Boat Building Company, the 19-metre Ika Rere (fast fish) is powered by Meridian Energy for Metlink public transport services and owned and operated by East by West Ferries.
East by West managing director Jeremy Ward said the ferry had energised his company’s vision of Wellington as a sustainable, smart city.
“Complementing our goal of using Wellington’s harbour-based geography to reduce transport emissions, Ika Rere will also deliver a comfortable and reliable service for passengers.
“Her electric power unit is quieter and smoother with fewer moving parts than a diesel engine. That means less maintenance and less disruption to the sailing schedule.”
Made from carbon fibre, the light yet durable catamaran can transport up to 132 passengers at a speed of 20 knots. East by West’s existing diesel-powered vessels are slower and carry a third fewer passengers.
No comments:
Post a Comment