A Plymouth passenger ferry has been converted to run on electricity as the city waterfront becomes increasingly greener.
A vessel from the Mount Batten Ferry service fleet has had her engine replaced with a new electronic drive propulsion system and solar charging capability.
This is being seen as a huge boost to reducing emissions from water transport in the Cattewater area of the city. Copper, the smaller of the Mount Batten Ferry business’ fleet, has undergone her transformation to electric power during the past few months as the service has been closed to passengers due to the ongoing Covid pandemic.
The Mount Batten Ferry usually runs daily, all year round between The Barbican and Mount Batten, on Plymouth’s waterfront. Copper’s sister ferry, Sulphar, has also had her diesel engines replaced with two fuel efficient smaller Beta engine units.
The passenger ferries that operate from the Barbican Landing Stage will be able to use electric power from a charge point installed on the landing stage.
This will help reduce pollution and maintain cleaner waters - essential for the work that is ongoing in Britain’s first National Marine Park in Plymouth Sound.
In a separate development, Plymouth is to get a trailblazing 150-passenger all-electric super ferry to connect the city to Cornwall. The Duchy's Voyager Boatyard has successfully bid for funding from the Government’s Innovate UK agency to design and build the e-Ferry, which will operate for up to 14 hours a day on a single charge.
The boat will become the flagship vessel on Plymouth Boat Trips’ Cremyll Ferry commuter route, between Plymouth and South East Cornwall.
The electric drive on Mount Batten Ferry’s Copper boat was designed and fitted in-house by Universal Marine Services Ltd, which owns and operates the Mount Batten Ferry service, with the help of engineering company, Flint Engineering. Universal Marine Services can now carry out a range of electric drive installs.
Captain Dan Stevens, owner of Universal Marine Services Ltd, said: “Copper was chosen for an electric drive retrofit as it is one of Plymouth’s busiest ferries and operates daily between The Barbican and Mount Batten.
“She made an ideal vessel to trial a new electric drive and will hopefully make a great addition, and leap forward, to Zero Carbon Emission transport for Plymouth’s waters.”
Capt Allen also welcomed Plymouth Boat Trips’ move towards electric ferries and said: "It really is excellent to have both ferry operators in the Cattewater investing significantly in electric craft."
Captain Richard Allan, chief executive and harbour master for Cattewater Harbour Commissioners, said: “A year ago we launched the Port of Plymouth Air Quality strategy and invited our stakeholders to input into the strategy and consider and implement any new ideas that they may be able to adopt to improve air quality.
“With the installation of the Plymouth City Council charging points on the Barbican Landing Stage, and Copper’s new electric engine and solar charging capability, this is another hugely positive step forward as part of the port’s commitment to improving air quality.
“We congratulate Captain Stevens and his team for making this conversion to electric and look forward to welcoming Copper back into service in the coming months.”
