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A Plymouth passenger ferry has been converted to run on electricity as the city waterfront becomes increasingly greener.

A vessel from the Mount Batten Ferry service fleet has had her engine replaced with a new electronic drive propulsion system and solar charging capability.

This is being seen as a huge boost to reducing emissions from water transport in the Cattewater area of the city. Copper, the smaller of the Mount Batten Ferry business’ fleet, has undergone her transformation to electric power during the past few months as the service has been closed to passengers due to the ongoing Covid pandemic.

The Mount Batten Ferry usually runs daily, all year round between The Barbican and Mount Batten, on Plymouth’s waterfront. Copper’s sister ferry, Sulphar, has also had her diesel engines replaced with two fuel efficient smaller Beta engine units.

The passenger ferries that operate from the Barbican Landing Stage will be able to use electric power from a charge point installed on the landing stage.

This will help reduce pollution and maintain cleaner waters - essential for the work that is ongoing in Britain’s first National Marine Park in Plymouth Sound.

In a separate development, Plymouth is to get a trailblazing 150-passenger all-electric super ferry to connect the city to Cornwall. The Duchy's Voyager Boatyard has successfully bid for funding from the Government’s Innovate º£½ÇÊÓƵ agency to design and build the e-Ferry, which will operate for up to 14 hours a day on a single charge.

The boat will become the flagship vessel on Plymouth Boat Trips’ Cremyll Ferry commuter route, between Plymouth and South East Cornwall.