10 OCTOBER 2017 • FOGHORN FOGHORNFOCUS: MARINE PROPULSION years. The noise level onboard the ferry is very low as there are no combustion engines running in the engine room. Batteries fill up most of what would normally be the engine room and only a small backup generator is installed in case of power outage on the mainland grid network. The chief engineer on board says “It is a delightfully quiet operation.” Passengers also enjoy this lovely silence, and on a calm sunny day the screaking of the seagulls are the only sound you hear from the obser- vation deck. The Rolls-Royce thruster units installed on board “Ampere” also have a quicker response compared to a conventional system as the battery can deliver instantaneous power while a diesel engine has a certain response time when the power changes are large. This gives the captain higher controlla- bility while docking the ferry or in case of an emergency maneuver. Funding: There are many long-term benefits for the society, like enhanced reliability in the transport network and reduction in emissions for all-electric ferries. This is why several funding options exist for these solutions. The Federal Highway Trust Fund, TIGER grants and the Washington State’s Clean Energy Fund are all examples of possible funding options for an envi- ronmental friendly all-electric ferry. The incentives are already in place and the operators of ferries must be encouraged to seek out these funding possibilities in cooperation with the designers and equipment suppliers.Alarge part of the capital cost can be directly supported, making the payback time short and in- creasing the long-term benefits for both operators and the society, a win-win. Skagit County: The Guemes Ferry operated by Skagit County between Anacortes and Guemes Island in Washington State, is a good example of where an all-electric ferry can be an ideal solution. The county has performed studies together with design and integration firms to inves- tigate the benefits and payback times for this specific ferry. The operational and maintenance cost of this all-electric ferry could be reduced by as much as 50% making it a very realistic project in the long-term view. Design work and further investigation in the benefits are now being performed while the response from the funding agencies are on their way. This ferry has the potential to become the first all-electric car ferry in the United States Hybrid: Hybrid plug-in systems can provide the answer when an all- electric solution is not ideal. Ferries with more intensive operations, longer routes, and no overnight layover will find battery capacity and charging time problematic. Hybrid plug-in systems gives flexibility and helps to reduce both the fuel consumption and emissions. Batteries and internal combustion engines complement each other. The battery can be charged to the extent that time and shore infra- structure allows. The hybrid solution enables the engines to be run with less load change as the battery takes care of