OCTOBER 2018 • FOGHORN 13 FOGHORNFOCUS: MARINE PROPULSION are determined to offer clean water- borne transport option to support the goals of the Paris Climate Accord in the U.S. on a local level. “Over 400 mayors, representing more than 70 million Americans, have signed on to support the goals of Paris through climatemay- ors.org,” Smallridge noted. “In these cities, transitioning to a commuter infrastructure with a lower climate impact is an extra high priority. We believe this will be a big opportunity for passenger vessel operators over the next few years.” “There’s no slow down in interest in electric powered vessels,” Trkla said. In fact, Todd Sims, Senior Sales Manager of Special Projects at Torqeedo, said the North American passenger vessel market is heating up and a number of new projects are in the works. “This is a major growth area,” Sims said. “Expect to see more electric vessels on U.S. waterways in 2019 and beyond.” One reason for the growth, Sims said, is that the electric propulsion system is incredibly adaptable to suit unique needs and demands. Torqeedo’s system is designed for high volume cycles to keep their customer’s vessels moving. “Think of this as a modular system that can be customized and adjusted to suit the requirements of vessels, the waterways, the number of passengers, the length of the route, and all the other various details that are important to operating a passenger vessel,” Sims explained. “There is no cookie cutter vessel operation, so the configuration of an electric propulsion system must be adaptable and able to confirm to a broad spectrum of needs.” Founded in 2005, Torqeedo has been busy using cutting-edge technology to propel the marine industry further. Employing fast chargers that allows electric vessels to be fully charged and ready for service in four to eight hours is just one example. “The marine market is uniquely po- sitioned for electric vessels,” Tims said. “The infrastructure in most areas where vessels operate are highly conducive to electric vessels, even more so than with electric cars.” Regarding the marine environ- ment, Sims said that all the compo- nents used by Torqeedo are specially designed for use in and around water. Corrosion, parts, and safety have all been carefully taken into consider- ation. As for using solar panels on the vessels as an energy source, these too are designed to work in the marine environment. And, according to Sims, they’re effective in many regions, including those that may not seem to have an abundance of sunshine. Harnessing solar energy and using electricity to propel passenger vessels isn’t a futuristic dream. It’s a reality that works right now. n We NY, too! We NY, too!