Hong Kong's first electric ferry service to run 3 days a week during non-rush hours
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Principal Environmental Protection Officer (Mobile Source) Benny So King-lung said on Wednesday that the HK$65 million (US$8.4 million) vessel, named Xin Ming Zhu XXXIX and operated by Sun Ferry Services Company, was undergoing a trial carrying passengers for four single trips on Monday, as it did on March 31, and would step up its service progressively.
'Passengers gave positive feedback … The journey is quiet and has no diesel smell,' So said.
'The ferry is made of carbon fibre, which is lighter than a steel ferry by 70 per cent. The lighter weight can save the power needed and is more environmentally friendly.'
The battery unit of Sun Ferry's Xin Ming Zhu XXXIX, Hong Kong's first electric passenger ferry. Photo: Eugene Lee
He added that the electric vessel would carry passengers during non-rush hours and soon step up its service to three days a week. So did not indicate when it would go into full operation.
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Equipped with 360 sets of batteries, the ferry can run 52 single trips daily at full operation and will only need to charge overnight for eight to 10 hours at North Point, he said.
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