By
Alex Smith |
Condor Ferries has become the operational partner of the Belfast Maritime Consortium, a group of technology businesses, public bodies and academic establishments aiming to develop a new electric-powered ferry concept.
The battery-powered ships will use the eFoiler system from Artemis Technologies, a technology company based in Belfast, UK. The system enables a ship to ‘fly’ above the water, which will reduce wake at high-speed and allow the vessel to use up to 90 per cent less energy than a conventional ferry.
“Condor and our shareholder CTI are looking to the future, and this includes exploring ways of reducing our carbon emissions and finding ways to provide more sustainable travel solutions,” said John Napton, CEO of Condor. “We are also acutely aware that international legislation may well impact all ship operators over the next five to 10 years, so it is prudent to be involved in this exciting project now.”
A pilot scheme targeted to launch in 2024 would see Condor operate a commuter passenger route between Belfast’s Titanic Quarter and Bangor, Northern Ireland. The journey is anticipated to take around 30 minutes.
”The announcement that Condor Ferries is joining us in the Belfast Maritime Consortium is a hugely significant endorsement of the work we are doing and marks another milestone on our journey towards leading the decarbonisation of maritime,” said Dr Iain Percy, CEO and founder of Artemis Technologies.