Shell launches the first electric ferry in Singapore to reduce emissions
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British multinational oil and gas company Shell has unveiled its first fully-electric passenger ferry, the Penguin Refresh, in Singapore, announced by Reuters.
The vessel, which is capable of transporting up to 200 passengers, was designed and built by Penguin International Limited with a lithium-ion battery system.
The Penguin Refresh is the first of three fully-electric harbor crafts that Shell will introduce by August 2023. The electric ferry will travel between Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Singapore, located on Bukom Island, and Singapore, with an expected 1.8 million passenger trips annually.
This launch is part of a collaboration between Shell and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) to advance the adoption of electric harbor craft and low and zero-carbon fuels.
Shell and MPA will work together to develop charging infrastructure for electric harbor craft and conduct research and development for low and zero-carbon fuels over five years. The move is a step towards meeting the Singapore port authority's rule that all new harbor craft operating in its waters should be electric or run on biofuels or net-zero fuels from 2030.
The electric ferry will save Shell about 1,952 tonnes (13,838 barrels) of diesel and will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 6,258 tonnes a year. The collaboration will also make the charging facilities at the Bukom plant available for other electric harbor craft users.
Shell's strategy to reduce carbon footprints
Shell's launch of its first electric ferry is part of the company's strategy to reduce its carbon footprint and transition away from fossil fuels. Shell has made several acquisitions and investments over the past few years to shift away from fossil fuel-related sales. The company has been expanding its EV charging network to include nearly 100,000 ports and aims to operate over 500,000 EV charging ports by 2025.
In addition to EV charging, Shell is also rolling out renewable energy sources, such as the super-hybrid offshore wind farm in the Netherlands.
However, Shell has had a rocky history with oil spills and leaks. The company has faced several major oil spills in the past, including the 1988 explosion of the Piper Alpha oil platform in the North Sea, which killed 167 workers, and the 2011 oil spill in Nigeria.
Shell was also responsible for the worst oil spill in the North Sea in over a decade in 2021. The company has faced criticism for not doing enough to prevent oil spills and for not doing enough to clean up the spills that have occurred.
The company’s launch of its first electric ferry in Singapore is a significant step towards reducing emissions in the maritime industry. With the shift to zero-emission electric transportation accelerating, big oil companies are diversifying their interests to include renewables and electric alternatives. Shell's collaboration with MPA to advance the adoption of electric harbor craft and low and zero-carbon fuels is a promising development that could help reduce the maritime industry's carbon footprint.
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