First solar powered container ship sets sail

The world's first container ship to use solar power to help generate the energy to drive its propellers took to the seas over the Christmas period, in a move designed to cut carbon emissions and reduce fuel costs.

Auriga Leader, a freighter owned and developed by shipping line Nippon Yusen and oil distributor Nippon Oil Corp, was launched last month from a shipyard in the city of Kobe, Japan.

The freighter, which is capable of carrying 6,400 automobiles, has been equipped with 328 solar panels at a cost of $1.68m.

To increase the panel's exposure to sunlight the 200 metre ship also boasts an innovative design whereby shipping containers are stored under a raised deck that limits any shading on the panels.

The ship's operators said that so far the energy generated by the solar array has only been used to power lighting and other applications in the crew's living quarters, but officials insisted the 40KW system could also be used to provide up to 0.2 per cent of power required by the ship's propulsion system.

Nippon Yusen, Japan's largest shipping company, said the move represented a step towards meeting its goal of halving fuel consumption and carbon-dioxide emissions by 2010.

The shipping industry has come under growing pressure to curb carbon emissions in the wake of recent research suggesting it has a larger carbon footprint than the aviation sector, contributing in excess of two per cent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.

In related news, Japanese businesses newspaper Nikkei last week reported that auto-giant Toyota is secretly working on a new car that will be powered entirely by solar power.

The paper claimed the company, which has established itself as a leader in the development of green cars, is working on an electric car that would be recharged using power generated from a solar array. It added that the car would also feature integrated solar panels that would help to top up the battery while it is on the move.