The ferry operator Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry Limited (HKKF) has taken delivery of two new hybrid ferries, designed by the global digital shipbuilder Incat Crowther and built by the Hong Kong-based shipbuilder Cheoy Lee Shipyards.
The new 40-metre ferries can transport up to 450 passengers, 300 passengers on its main deck and another 150 on the upper deck and will service the busy commuter routes between Hong Kong and the islands of Lamma Island, Peng Chau, and Hei Ling Chau.
The two new hybrid ferries, one of which is a carbon-hulled vessel and the other an aluminium-hulled vessel, 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 two 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 maneuvering, according to Incat Crowther.
Furthermore, each ferry is fitted with exhaust treatment technology, Incat Crowther said, and approximately 30 square meters of solar panels supported by battery technology to provide zero-emissions onboard power.
Incat Crowther and Cheoy Lee Shipyards will deliver HKKF nine new vessels as part of this project, being seven 40-metre (two of which are hybrid vessels) and two 35-metre vessels.
The successful delivery of the two hybrid vessels comes after the delivery of two conventional diesel-powered 40-metre vessels, with the final five vessels in the fleet being under construction and expected to be delivered by 2025, as the ship designer Incat Crowther mentions.
