In-depth | GREENSHIP TEHNOLOGY
In-depth | GREEN SHIP TECHNOLOGY East Coast emissions control
David Tinsley profiles New York Harbour’s forthcoming eco-friendly passenger ferry, designed to keep a check on emissions while providing transport for tourists and visitors.
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ncapsulating hydrogen, solar and wind energy systems, as well as diesel power, a pioneering new
vessel is due to begin service later this year in New York Harbour, lightening the environmental impact of local waterborne travel. The New York Hornblower Hybrid will
carry up to 600 passengers on harbour trips run by Statue Cruises, operated by Hornblower Cruises & Events. Te company has the concession to provide transportation for the public to the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island. Te hybrid powering solution emanates
from Hornblower’s marine engineers, drawing on experience with the San Francisco Hornblower Hybrid, a catamaran hybrid ferry which combines solar, wind and diesel power. Originally a dive boat, this earlier vessel was converted and took on her present role in 2008.
Fuel cell solution The new and larger monohull craft for New York takes the concept an important stage further by also embracing fuel cell technology. Fuel cells produce no harmful air emissions and comparatively little noise, making them attractive for high profile marine applications. Based on a former seagoing casino boat from Florida, the New York Hornblower Hybrid has been transformed at the Bridgeport, Connecticut, premises of Derecktor Shipyards. The 51m New York Hornblower
Hybrid generates electrical energy from a proton exchange membrane(PEM) fuel cell installation in a compound hybrid arrangement along with wind turbines, solar panels and Tier II emissions- compliant diesel machinery for additional energy needs. Te fuel cell power modules, in the form of two HyPM HD16 units yielding up to 33kW of continuous power, were supplied by the Canadian specialist Hydrogenics Corporation.
Ship & Boat International July/August 2011 The fuel cell plant effectively turns
hydrogen into electricity, heat and distilled water. Te electricity is then harnessed by the propulsion motors and charges 192 batteries. Power is also engendered by 20kW solar panels and two 5kW wind turbines. Two Scania diesel engines coupled to variable speed generators supply power to the two Reliance electrical propulsion motors in accordance with extra energy needs. The motors drive the propellers through Twin Disc gear sets. While the vessel will typically cruise at some six or seven knots, she is expected to be capable of making 12knots. A flexible, innovative power management
system ensures efficient use of available power, automatically switching from diesel to batteries when appropriate, for example. Te Odyssey AGM batteries will provide
hundreds of kilowatt-hours of energy storage for propulsion and shipboard systems, allowing the vessel to operate in zero emissions mode. Te harbour ferry is also equipped to draw electricity from the shoreside grid, for battery charging and offsetting other power sources when in dock.
Eco-friendly components “By combining hydrogen, solar and wind power, Hornblower will minimise its environmental
impact as we transport
guests to popular national landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island”, says Terry MacRae, chief executive officer of Statue Cruises and Hornblower Cruises & Events. “Our goal is to reduce emissions to the greatest extent possible, with a goal in the future to eliminate them entirely during a cruising day. We expect this pioneering project to inspire continued industry innovations. Te technology on the Hornblower Hybrids is now scalable for other hybrid ferries, hybrid yachts and even hybrid tugs.” As technologies continue to advance,
each part of the system encapsulated by the New York Hornblower Hybrid lends
The new Hornblower Hybrid ferry is expected to slash emissions during tours of New York Harbour.
itself to upgrading so as to better capitalise on renewable energy sources. Te vessel is claimed to be eco-friendly down to the smallest detail. Such elements include 100% light-emitting diode (LED) lighting, energy- efficient windows and long-life, low volatile organic compound (VOC) exterior paints. In addition to working as a ferry
carrying visitors to New York Harbour’s national parks, the new vessel will provide evening cruises and be available for charter for private or corporate functions and special events. Besides an outdoor sun deck, a distinctive feature of the design is the glass-walled, uppermost interior deck, allowing largely unobstructed views of the region’s landmarks and cityscapes. Hornblower’s first hybrid ferry, the San
Francisco Hornblower Hybrid, is deployed with the Alcatraz Cruises fleet, and uses a combination of solar, wind and diesel power. Two 3m-tall wind turbines and a photovoltaic solar array are arranged on the top deck, contributing to the vessel’s overall electrical power needs, with energy storage in battery banks. SBI
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