The developers of Hydrogenesis, billed as the UK's first hydrogen-powered ferry, are claiming that their rather more modest-looking vessel could help kickstart a new chapter in environmentally-friendly marine engineering.

 

The ferry service was officially launched last Thursday with skipper Richard Rankin carefully steering the boat past noisier, dirtier diesel ferries, pleasure cruisers and narrow boats.

 

The 11m-long steel boat and the fuel cells that drive the vessel have been made mainly by companies based in south-west England and has received almost £250,000 funding from Bristol city council as part of its successful bid to win green capital status. The boat has been tested since February and has coped well with icy conditions during the winter and the current heatwave.

 

It has been expensive to build the boat and the refueling station. However, after expecting to have to replenish the hydrogen tank every day it turns out it only had to be done every four days. A drawback is that the hydrogen has to be brought in by lorry from Hull in north-east England, which increases the project's carbon footprint.