The double-ended ship will reduce carbon emissions by 40 per cent.
This week has seen the introduction of the world’s largest hybrid and double-ended ferry on the Dover to Calais route, the £111million pound ship aiming to make sea travel greener.
The Pioneer is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 40 per cent, operating with diesel generators and electric battery power, with operator P&O planning to transform their new hybrids into fully electric ferries when the infrastructure at Dover and Calais allows; a second hybrid ship, Liberte, will come into service in November.
The Pioneer and Liberte will operate alongside two older P&O ships on the short cross-Channel route, with executives at the company hopeful that the infrastructure required for all-electric ships will be in place before 2030.
Ross Barrett, P&O ship of the future director, said: “We are looking at how we could continue with the journey of making our fleet much more sustainable and technology is changing all the time with sustainability on ships.”
