<
https://cleantechnica.com/2025/05/05/global-ferry-electrification-accelerates-70-of-new-orders-go-electric/>
"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 ones are overwhelmingly being
purchased with electric drivetrains, and most operators have electric retrofit
plans for existing vessels.
This transition, which seemed speculative just a decade ago, has moved swiftly
from niche experiments in sustainability to mainstream procurement decisions,
and the industry is now firmly on a trajectory toward large-scale
electrification. The launch of vessels such as the
China Zorrilla catamaran
ferry, designed to operate between Argentina and Uruguay on a 200 km route at
25 knots multiple times a day, exemplifies the accelerating trend.
Worldwide, ferry services transport billions of passengers and millions of
vehicles annually, connecting coastal communities, urban regions, and remote
islands. Historically, this essential maritime infrastructure has relied on
diesel propulsion, generating substantial greenhouse gas emissions, local air
pollution, and operational inefficiencies.
Traditional ferries can account for disproportionately large emissions relative
to their size and the distances they travel, making them ripe targets for
electrification. Unlike transoceanic vessels, these emissions are always close
to population centers, and impact the passengers as well. Consequently, as
regulators globally tighten emission standards, operators face mounting
pressure to rapidly decarbonize their fleets or risk regulatory penalties and
higher operating costs."
Via
What Could Go Right? The Pope Effect
https://theprogressnetwork.org/the-pope-effect/
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
