- The ferry will begin operating as an electric commuter ferry in May, with two additional electric vessels scheduled for August this year.
- Shell also plans to run a hydrogen fuel cell trial on one of its chartered vessels later this year.
On Monday, oil and gas giant Shell launched its first electric ferry at its Singapore energy and chemicals plant. A spokesperson said it would work with the city-state’s port authority to cut ship emissions. The ferry, named Penguin Refresh, is the first of a planned series of 200-seater electric commuter ferries located at its large refinery/petrochemical complex on the island of Palau Bukom. It will start operating in May, with another two ferries expected to be ready by August. These will begin to replace the diesel-powered boats currently in use.
The move comes after Singapore’s port authority announced a new rule in March requiring all new harbour craft to be electric or run on biofuels or net-zero fuels from 2030. Shell Eastern Trading signed a memorandum of understanding with the port authority to develop the charging infrastructure necessary for electric vessels. It also said it would research low- and zero-carbon fuels in Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) over the next five years.
According to a statement from Shell Shipping and Maritime general manager Nick Potter, Shell also plans to run a hydrogen fuel cell trial on one of its chartered vessels later this year. The first zero-emissions fuel cell ferry, powered by hydrogen fuel cells and batteries, began preparations in San Francisco, US, in March.