The Orkney islands are to test two electric ferries for commuting between its outlying islands as part of efforts to cut carbon emissions from shipping.
The battery-powered hydrofoil ferries, whose hulls are raised above the water, are part of a three-year, £15.5m demonstration project funded by the UK government due to start in March 2024.
The smaller of the two ferries will carry up to 12 passengers between Kirkwall, Orkney’s main town, and the islands of Shapinsay, Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre on a year-round daily service.
The larger vessel will take up to 50 passengers and light cargo between Kirkwall and the outer islands of Westray, Eday, Sanday and Stronsay in a circuit up to five times a day. It is expected to start service in 2025.
Councillors and MSPs in Orkney and Shetland, the archipelago north of Orkney, have been pressing the UK and Scottish governments for help in replacing their ageing and highly polluting inter-island ferries.
Unlike the state-owned ferry service CalMac, which serves the Hebrides, their inter-island ferries are council-owned and operated. Scottish ministers have rejected their pleas for support to replace them.
James Stockan, Orkney’s council leader, said the islands were already leaders in zero-carbon technologies. Orkney is home to a major marine energy research centre, known as Emec, and has one of the UK’s highest number of electric vehicle chargers in relation to population.
“This work is about looking at how we can, in the future, decarbonise our fleet,” he said. “Whilst this is tremendous news, this latest development must not be confused with our drive to secure funding for replacement ferries.”
Orkney’s vessels, which are being supplied by Artemis Technologies in Belfast, are part of a package of measures aimed at removing or heavily reducing carbon emissions and pollution from shipping.
The industry, which is often excluded from climate warming policies worldwide, has faced increasingly vocal demands to reduce its carbon emissions and to cut air pollutants such as sulphur oxides (SOx) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).
The UK government funding package, unveiled on Monday, includes £90m for an ultra-low emission boat to service offshore windfarms, powered by electricity with a methanol range extender, based in Aberdeen.
A further £20m will be spent on retrofitting an offshore crew transfer vessel that is already in service with electric propulsion.