Shell has launched its electric ferry, making it the first such electric vessel to operate in Singapore. Passenger services are expected to commence in May 2023 and will transport around 3,000 daily commuters to the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Singapore located on Bukom Island.
Additionally, the company also plans to introduce two more electric vessels by August 2024. Singapore-based Penguin International will design, build, and operate the ferries. The three vessels will make around 1.8 million passenger trips annually and will replace the existing diesel-powered boats. Operations will offset around 2,000 tons of fuel usage annually.
The electric ferries will be powered by a 1.2 MWh lithium-ion battery system which can be charged through a combination of fast charging during peak hours, and slow charging during off-peak hours and overnight. Penguin will also install ultra-fast shore chargers that will charge the ferries in under 10 minutes.
