Revealed, ferry that will run on green power

SHIPBUILDER Ferguson Marine is to build and launch the world’s first hydrogen-fuelled ferry.

The HySeas III will transport cars and passengers in and around Orkney using fuel produced purely from renewable electricity.

The vessel will be built at Ferguson’s yard in Port Glasgow, Renfrewshire, which was saved from closure four years ago by tycoon Jim McColl’s Clyde Blowers Capital.

Experts believe the £11million development marks a major step forward towards entirely emission-free marine transport.

The announcement comes after the company successfully led a consortium for European union funding to back the project.

Mr McColl said: ‘Ferguson’s was the last full-service commercial shipyard on the Clyde.

‘Since taking over in 2014, we have invested £25million to bring the yard up to world-class standards with a new, skilled workforce that has provided the confidence in leading this hugely important, groundbreaking project.’

In 2012, Ferguson’s launched the MV Hallaig, the world’s first battery hybrid ferry and last year it launched the MV Glen Sannox, the first UK ferry built with dual-fuel capability – marine diesel and liquified natural gas.

The latest development will also work with academics at St Andrews university to help develop future technologies. Project co-ordinator Dr Martin Smith, of St Andrews university, said: ‘This opens the real possibility of Scotland and its key European partners delivering another world first in building sustainable local sources of fuelling in parallel.’

Support from Scottish Enterprise allowed the idea to be taken from an early feasibility study to the point where the focus can now shift into test and delivery.

The HySeas III project will begin next month.