This solar-powered ship could have a tremendous impact on the sustainability of the shipping sector.
Yuan Hai Kou, the largest solar-powered vehicle carrier ship, successfully delivered 4,000 vehicles, most of them electric, to the Port of Piraeus in Greece.
The nearly 700-foot-long ship, built by China COSCO Shipping Corporation, features 500 solar panels, 12 car decks, and a sustainable shore power interface that helps the ship save the annual equivalent of nearly 38,000 trees, according to COSCO.
Its utilization of solar power makes the ship's carbon usage "approximately 35% lower than that of traditional vessels, marking a significant step towards greener shipping," per Interesting Engineering.
There are over 100,000 ships in the global merchant fleet, according to Allianz. A majority of these ships still rely on burning dirty fuels, which release billions of tons of planet-warming gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide into the air.
These harmful pollutants contribute to the planet's rising temperature, which in turn exacerbate extreme weather events, such as droughts, cold snaps, and heatwaves.
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Not only do ships pollute the air, but they also negatively impact the ocean Noise and light pollution from ships can disturb fragile underwater ecosystems and harm marine life.
Solar-powered ships will make shipping more sustainable. Using them to transport electric vehicles will reduce the production-related emissions of EVs, making them more sustainable too.
These eco-friendly ships have already made a significant impact. The ship's "round-trip voyage between China and Europe results in a reduction of approximately 2,100 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, highlighting the vessel's role in promoting greener maritime transport," according to Interesting Engineering.
Yuan Hai Kou isn't the first ship to adopt solar, and it won't be the last. Green-powered boats are sailing through the Amazon, conducting research in the Arctic, and carrying cargo through the Pacific.
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