The MV Sea Change ferry has started operating in San Francisco Bay in the United States and will be free for the next six months.
The world’s first fully hydrogen-powered commercial passenger ferry began operating in San Francisco Bay in the United States on July 19. With a capacity to travel 550 kilometers and run for 16 hours before needing to refuel, this ferry is part of plans to phase out diesel-powered vessels and reduce carbon emissions, according to the Californian authorities.
The MV Sea Change will join the Bay’s ferry network for a six-month demonstration period as a pilot program, showcasing the application of fuel cell technology as a viable strategy for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improving air quality.
Fuel cells produce electricity by combining oxygen and hydrogen in an electrochemical reaction that emits only water vapor. Part of this by-product is remineralized and used in the on-board water supply, making the MV Sea Change the only ship in the world with potable emissions.
The ship carries up to 75 passengers on a short route between Pier 41 and the downtown San Francisco ferry terminal free of charge while it is in the testing phase. Previously, the city operated a weekend-only “short hop” route between these two terminals, costing one dollar for a ten-minute journey.
“If we manage to operate successfully, there will be more of these vessels in our fleet and in other people’s fleets in the United States and, we think, in the world,” admits to Euronews Jim Wunderman, president of the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority, which manages the ferries that cross the Bay.
“California is a world leader in the fight against the climate crisis, pioneering new technologies to increase clean energy and reduce pollution – that’s why zero-emission Sea Change is so exciting. I’m proud of our state’s role in advancing these innovations and of our state’s public and private sector partners for bringing them to market and demonstrating their viability,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom in a statement.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, transportation is the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States. The Biden administration has turned to hydrogen as an energy source for vehicles, production and electricity generation, and has offered 8 billion dollars (7.3 billion euros) to encourage the country’s industries, engineers and planners to discover how to produce and supply clean hydrogen.
Currently, hydrogen is not a perfect energy, being mostly produced with the help of fossil fuels. A new study by researchers from Cornell and Stanford Universities has concluded that most hydrogen production emits carbon dioxide.
However, some say that, in the long term, hydrogen-powered transport will improve and become cleaner and less expensive, using more and more electricity from wind and solar energy to separate hydrogen and oxygen from water.
According to the press release, MV Sea Change is part of California Climate Investments, “a statewide initiative that puts billions of dollars of emissions trading into practice, reducing GHG emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment, especially in disadvantaged communities”.
“This is not only the beginning of the Sea Change service, but we hope it is also the beginning of a much more active investment in the energy transition of the maritime industry in California and beyond,” said Pace Ralli, CEO of SWITCH Maritime.
The Sea Change project was financed and managed by the investment company SWITCH Maritime. The ship was built locally by Bay Ship and Yacht in Alameda, California, and by All-American Marine in Bellingham, Washington.
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