Zero emissions 'flying' ferry will start trials in Belfast in 2024   Daily Mail Online
Channel: World News
Date: 2022-09-27

Experts have unveiled their design for a zero-emission, 100 per cent electric 'flying' ferry that will shuttle paying passengers above the water in congested cities. 

EF-24 Passenger vessel, created by Belfast-based firm Artemis Technologies, uses hydrofoils to lift it out of the water, enabling it to sail smoothly above the waves.

Hydrofoils are wing-like blades underneath a vessel's hull that cut through water as the vessel speeds up, creating an uplift, similar to the aerofoils used on aeroplanes. 

Raising the hull above the water dramatically cuts drag, delivering estimated fuel cost savings of up to 85 per cent compared to conventional diesel-powered ferries. 

Riding above the waves also results in a comfortable ride than on other ferries, reducing effects of seasickness for passengers. 

Artemis Technologies has partnered with Condor Ferries to operate a pilot scheme in 2024 that will see EF-24 Passenger vessel run between Belfast and the nearby city of Bangor. 

A potential wider rollout could see the ferry transporting passengers in London instead of the Thames Clipper vessel, a river bus service on the Thames that operates in partnership with Uber.