Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry Limited (HKKF) has taken delivery of two new hybrid ferries, designed by Incat Crowther and built by Hong Kong-based Cheoy Lee Shipyards.
The new 40m ferries can transport up to 450 passengers and will service commuter routes between Hong Kong and the islands of Lamma Island, Peng Chau, and Hei Ling Chau.
One vessel has a carbon-fibre hull and the other is built in aluminium. They are part of a nine-vessel order and will form part of a trial by the Hong Kong Government as it seeks to reduce emissions from the local shipping sector. Each of the vessels boasts a hybrid drive train and lithium-ion energy storage systems allowing them to operate in zero-emissions mode during slow speed transit, berthing and manoeuvring.
In a further bid to reduce the environmental footprint of the new vessels, each is fitted with exhaust treatment technology and about 30m2 of solar panels supported by battery technology to provide zero-emissions onboard power. The operational and sustainability performance of both the carbon-hulled and aluminium-hulled vessel will be measured over the coming years.
Sam Mackay, Technical Manager, Incat Crowther, said: “The successful on-budget delivery of these two hybrid vessels is a testament to the strong collaboration between the teams at Incat Crowther, Cheoy Lee Shipyards, and Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry. This project continues our 20-year relationship with Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry, and we are proud to be playing a role in helping to modernise and transition their fleet toward lower-emission solutions. Together, we’ve brought a future-focused ferry platform to life, helping to meet Hong Kong’s growing demand for more sustainable maritime transport options. As operators like HKKF look to reduce their environmental footprint, projects like this showcase the potential of hybrid technologies to contribute to the sustainable expansion of fleets around the world.”
The nine new vessels for the HKKF project comprise seven 40m (two of which are hybrid vessels) and two 35m vessels. The successful delivery of the two hybrid vessels comes after the delivery of two conventional diesel-powered 40m vessels. The final five vessels in the fleet are under construction and expected to be delivered by 2025. The new ferries will modernise HKKF’s conventionally powered fleet, also designed by Incat Crowther in the late 1990s.
Image: HKKF new hybrid ferry (source: Incat Crowther)
