Propulsion Features of "Future-Ready" Ecoship to Be Presented at Natural Propulsion Seminar

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Wednesday May 11, 2016

Japan-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) Peace Boat Wednesday announced that the propulsion features of the organisation's Ecoship, a hybrid wind and solar powered vessel equipped with a "future-ready" hybrid engine and set to run on cleaner fuels, will be presented at the Natural Propulsion seminar on May 24 by Dr. Andrés Molina, Ecoship Project Director.

As Ship & Bunker reported in December, Peace Boat said the Ecoship will be the "world's greenest" cruise ship.

"The Ecoship’s propulsion system will combine some of the most forward-looking elements that the industry has developed and, without any doubt, break new ground in how natural propulsion is perceived in cruising," said Molina.

Peace Boat says the Natural Propulsion Seminar will be held as part of BlueWeek, a free and independent event, which is hosted by the Maritime Research Institute of the Netherlands (MARIN), and intended to bring together industry, academics, and institutions to discuss the latest R&D initiatives, regulations, and projects.

The Ecoship is said to be anticipated to deliver a 20 percent reduction in propulsion energy, 50 percent cut in electricity load, and a 40 percent reduction in CO2 emissions in comparison to similar vessels built before 2000.

As Ship & Bunker previously reported, the Ecoship's maiden voyage is slated for 2020, with the vessel set to offer educational voyages, and serve as a "floating sustainability laboratory," contributing to research on the ocean, climate, and green marine technologies.