VESSEL REVIEW | Earth Clipper – UK’s first hybrid fast ferry to operate on River Thames

Uber Boat by Thames Clippers has begun operating a new hybrid fast ferry built by Wight Shipyard to a design by One2Three Naval Architects of Australia. Named Earth Clipper, it is the first vessel in a series that will be the UK's first hybrid high-speed passenger ferries once they enter service.

The newbuild has all-aluminium construction, an LOA of 38 metres, a beam of 8.3 metres, and capacity for 182 passengers plus three crewmembers. There are 182 interior and 53 exterior seats from where passengers can enjoy excellent views of the London waterfront scenery. The vessel otherwise has a similar layout and internal capacity to Thames Clippers' earlier Hunt-class ferries.

The sleek hull form is coupled with a shallow draught of only 1.2 metres. This configuration allows the ferry to sail underneath bridges in central London in all tidal conditions.

A hybrid diesel-electric setup will allow the vessel to operate solely on battery power while transporting commuters and sightseers and recharge while using biofuelled power outside of central London. Instead of relying on shore-based charging, the boat will use excess power from the biofuelled engines to recharge the batteries. An auxiliary diesel generator is also fitted to provide the crew with a secondary means of battery charging.

The ferry can reach a top speed of 28 knots when running only on the two MAN V2862 diesel engines. When battery power is instead utilised, the vessel can still easily make 12 knots. Even when the main engines are engaged, NOx emissions are still reduced thanks to an installed selective catalytic reduction system.

The propulsion is also designed to be configured to run on hydrogen after the low-emission alternative fuel becomes commercially available in the future.

Earth Clipper will be operated along the Thames throughout the capital's central zone between the Tower Bridge and Battersea Power Station piers.

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