Americas News
Seattle to Add Hybrid Electric Ferries to Urban Transport
Swedish electric ferry manufacturer Candela Technology is to introduce its vessels to the city of Seattle.
Located on the northwestern seaboard and with multiple inlets, the company's P-12 shuttle vessels -- which are closer to a bus than a conventional diesel ferry -- are an efficient, waterborne alternative to land-based urban transport, according to Candela.
The hydrofoil vessels use about 3-4 kWh of energy per nautical mile which is one tenth of a conventional ship and comparable to the energy consumption of a modern electric-hybrid bus, the company said.
"If you can make ships that are faster than cars and buses during rush hour traffic, we can unlock the potential of our waterways for mass transit," said Erik Eklund, the firm's chief executive for commercial vessels.
The P-12 shuttle ferry can cruise at 30 miles per hour because it creates virtually no wake. The ferries will be deployed in Seattle from next year.
