World’s First Hydrogen-powered Commercial Ferry to Run on San Francisco Bay, and It’s Free to Ride
Published by Todd Bush on July 15, 2024
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The world’s first hydrogen-powered commercial passenger ferry will start operating on San Francisco Bay as part of plans to phase out diesel-powered vessels and reduce planet-warming carbon emissions, California officials said Friday, demonstrating the ship.
>> In Other News: Researchers Move Closer to Green Hydrogen via Water Electrolysis
The 70-foot (21-meter) catamaran called the MV Sea Change will transport up to 75 passengers along the waterfront between Pier 41 and the downtown San Francisco ferry terminal starting July 19, officials said. The service will be free for six months while it’s being run as part of a pilot program.
“The implications for this are huge because this isn’t its last stop,” said Jim Wunderman, chair of the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority, which runs commuter ferries across the bay. “If we can operate this successfully, there are going to be more of these vessels in our fleet and in other folks’ fleets in the United States and we think in the world.”
Sea Change can travel about 300 nautical miles and operate for 16 hours before it needs to refuel. The fuel cells produce electricity by combining oxygen and hydrogen in an electrochemical reaction that emits water as a byproduct.
Subscribe to the newsletter
Daily decarbonization data and news delivered to your inbox
Follow the money flow of climate, technology, and energy investments to uncover new opportunities and jobs.
Latest issues
-
One Montana Site Could Supply Half of North America's SAF
Inside This Issue ✈️ Montana's $1.44B Bet on Aviation Fuel Enters Final Stretch 🌍 Carbon Removal Coalition Forms With Goal of Attracting $100-Million in Project Investments 🤝 Prime Minister Carney...
-
Canada Nickel Just Buried CO₂ Before Mining Even Started
Inside This Issue ⛏️ Canada Nickel And UT Prove Mining Can Fight Climate Change 🛰️ OGCI And Carbon Mapper Team Up To Reduce Methane Emissions From The Oil And Gas Sector 🚛 RNG Continues To Lead As...
-
96% Pure H₂ Found Underground — Now What?
Inside This Issue 🧪 HyTerra's Kansas H₂ Could Power a Historic Industry First 🤝 Prime Minister Carney Secures Ambitious New Partnership With India Focused on Energy, Talent, and Technology Françai...
Company Announcements
-
Carbon Removal Coalition Forms With Goal of Attracting $100-million in Project Investments
Leaders in Canada’s nascent carbon-removal industry have joined with several corporate and financial backers as well as the federal government in a bid to attract $100-million in project investment...
-
New Coalition Targets $100M for Canadian Carbon Removal Projects by 2030
An emerging industry to remove carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere got a boost on Thursday with the launch of an initiative to raise another $100 million for those projects. An emerging industry ...
-
TOKYO, March 6, 2026 /CNW/ - Canada is focused on what we can control – strengthening our economy at home and diversifying our partnerships abroad, including in the Indo-Pacific. Japan is an over $...
-
The Government of Canada, BMO, ClimeFi, NorthX, RBC, Shopify, and Vancity launch the "Advance Carbon Removal Coalition" to advance demand for Canadian CDR. OTTAWA, ON, March 5, 2026 /CNW/ - Canada...