Proton Power Systems promises it will have a passenger ship powered by fuel cell before the summer of 2008. Proton is developing it with assistance from Europe’s Zero Emission Ship project.

This not an ocean-going vessel; it’s a riverboat. At only 70 feet in length, it will carry fewer than 100 passengers, on the Alster river in Hamburg, Germany. The European Commission is providing a grant of $1.6 million for development.

Proton, based in Germany, isn’t a ship builder; it makes fuel cell propulsion systems for buses, fork lifts and golf carts. Now, it’s developing the propulsion system for the European ship.

Electric Ship by 2009

The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) is putting together a team to build an electric ship, too. IMarEST is getting support from Société de l'Electricité, de l'Electronique (SEE), which is holding a conference in London next month to seek input. This won’t necessarily be powered by a fuel cell, but it won’t use a diesel battery charger, either.