Agena Marin launch solar powered ferry

Created by a Croatian boat building company, Agena Marin, this eco-friendly boat for up to 12 passengers will be presented at the Biograd Boat Show.

Named Solar Ferry, the vessel uses only solar and electric power sources. At 8.5m, it can accommodate up to 12 passengers on board and has been built – like other offerings from the company – with tourist excursions or scenic cruising in mind.

“The historic boat’s line was inspired by the vessels built around the 1920s,” CEO of Agena Marin, Mladen Peharda, told Croatia Week.

“I envision Solar Ferry to be ideal for specific tourist offers, such as ‘champagne cruising’ or some other romantic, retro-tours by the lake or sea. You can compare its offering to the horse and carriage ride in cities and parks.

“However, the boat’s design is not only about aesthetics; it’s also about being economical. In the past, the hull design had to be extremely efficient because, at the time, you didn’t have engines with ‘unlimited’ horsepower. That’s why we used the same hull shape so that the boat can achieve maximum speed and agility running only on sun and electricity.”

The construction is vacuum infusion, using plastic waste to reduce the overall weight of the boat. The anticipated boat speed is 5.5 knots, and the solar roof capacity enables five to eight hours of uninterrupted rides, depending on the speed and load.

“Solar Ferry is a very cost-effective boat without the usual expenses with engine maintenance or gas refills. It also comes at a great price, and the first three buyers will get a fair discount and pay only 40,000€ for the vessel with standard equipment. That is two to three times more affordable than other boats in the same category and length,” says Peharda.

Agena Marin has previously designed and created a tourist glass-bottom boat, called semiSUBMARINE, in use in 13 countries.