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New approved designs for electric harbour craft to be released by the end of 2024
First published online at CNA
SINGAPORE: Boats plying Singapore’s open waters will soon get clarity on how to go green, when approved designs for fully electric harbour craft are released by the end of this year.
More public electric charging points will also be set up, adding to the only one that was launched under a trial at Marina South Pier in April.
The charger was set up by local startup Pyxis and national grid operator SP Group, which hope to roll out up to 10 more charging sites over the next three years to meet impending demand.
This comes amid a push for all harbour craft and pleasure craft to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, as part of the national climate ambition.
From 2030, new harbour craft in the country must be fully electric, be able to use cleaner biofuels, or be compatible with net-zero fuels such as hydrogen.
TAILOR-MADE FOR SHALLOW WATERS, NAVIGATION NEEDS
Despite these new regulations, there are only six operational electric vessels in Singapore now.
To put more wind in these sails, the country’s maritime authorities are working with universities, as well as selected local and overseas firms, to come up with a common set of electric vessel designs that meet Singapore’s standards.
It will also make mass production easier and, in turn, bring down costs.
Harbour craft are vessels that do not venture beyond Singapore waters, such as boats that ferry people to neighbouring islands like Pulau Ubin.
Such lightweight passenger crafts are designed for shorter and frequent trips.
Other design factors include seabed conditions, heavy sea traffic, and tropical weather that could quickly corrode the hulls of vessels.
Dr Narasimalu Srikanth, who is leading the design project, told CNA that harbour craft – especially smaller ones – have to be tailor-made to suit Singapore’s navigation requirements and shallow waters at its ports.
“Secondly, to achieve faster speed and low energy footprint - in order to do that, you have to go for lighter vessels,” said the programme director of renewables and low-carbon generation (wind and marine) at Nanyang Technological University’s Energy Research Institute.
“For example, you can see MPA looks at lightweight aluminium bodies or composite bodies,” he added.
BOATS WITH SOLAR PANELS
At the Singapore River, the two largest operators of bumboat rides told CNA they have been taking the next step forward in their decarbonisation journey.
This includes replacing their ageing fleets with boats that have solar panels.
One of the operators, Water B, currently has 12 boats that run on decade-old technology.
“Previously, we just connected the battery directly to the motor and we powered on and (went off). With the new technology, there's this system in a screen where they can prompt us on the failures of the equipment, battery level,” said its director Darren Tan.
He added that he hopes the new system can cut upkeep and energy costs by at least a third.
The new boat was designed by Pyxis and made in neighbouring Batam Island in Indonesia.
Pyxis founder Tommy Phun said this production method allowed the company to reduce costs and speed up the production rate, as it intends to expand to ports around the region.
The firm is also working with SP Mobility to return excess solar power back to the grid, which would effectively turn the boats into floating solar farms, Mr Phun said.
“In fact, the vessel is so efficient that the amount of power it takes to propel this vessel up and down the Singapore River is that of three to four hairdryers,” he added.
