SL to set sail for sustainability with solar powered ferries
A green energy ferry boat manufacturer has plans to set up a boat manufacturing facility in Sri Lanka.
“Sri Lanka has a lot of sun, and we are trying to find the possibility of setting up a solar electric boat manufacturing facility here,” Sandith Thandasherry, CEO, Navalt Solar & Electric Boats, an Indian company, offering solar-electric and hybrid ferries as sustainable alternatives to diesel-powered vessels, told The Sunday Times Business. Discussions in this regard with the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Transport will start soon, he said.
Explaining the rationale for shifting both manufacturing facilities to the country of potential needs, he explained that in terms of operational expenses, the transportation cost of such a ferry is 25 per cent of the total cost, which is very high for island nations and smaller countries. “This is one of the main reasons why both buildings can be shifted to where the need is. The systems in the ferry can be transported at less than 5 per cent of the cost.” About US$100 is spent on energy costs daily for a diesel ferry, whereas, for a solar-powered ferry, the cost is 30 times lower at $ 3, Mr. Thandisherry said, noting that about 70 per cent of the energy cost for operating a solar ferry is from the sun.
The company has expanded to Dubai and has a joint venture partner there with a facility for manufacturing solar ferries. The aim is to set up a bigger facility in Dubai, which will typically manufacture 40 to 50 boats per year. Subsequently, the company hopes to serve both the West Asian and the African markets through these facilities.
With the highest number of electric boats in India, the company has transported over 5.5 million passengers, eliminated 2,453 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, and saved 992 tonnes of fuel. The company’s flagship vessel, Aditya, won the Gustave Trouvé Award in 2020. Navalt’s ferries offer over $1.2 million in lifecycle savings per vessel, with annual operating costs as low as $662 compared to $42,000 for diesel alternatives. The company also leads in lightweight materials, smart energy optimisation, and hydrodynamic design, ensuring superior propulsion efficiency, weight reduction, and system-level safety.
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