Compact And Fast Hydrogen-Powered Hydrofoil Aims To Replace The Cargo Aircraft Market

Written by Valdemar Medeiros

Published on 13/03/2022 at 09:53

Updated on 13/03/2022 at 20:32

Estrutura movida a H2 verde projetada na Califórnia é compacta e rápida, e ainda pode reduzir os custos logísticos pela metade – imagem: Insideevs/UOL

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The Responsible Company Is Already Making It Possible to Put the Hydrogen-Powered Hydrofoil at the Disposal of Cargo Transport by Sea in 2024

The company Boundary Layer Technologies, located in California, instead of building a ship, chose to work on the development of a hydrogen-powered hydrofoil. The hydrofoil, named Argo, is set to arrive with the promise of revolutionizing cargo transport by sea, with the goal of replacing air transport, at least on intra-Asian commercial routes.

Meet the Hydrogen-Powered Hydrofoil Argo

YouTube video — *Argo: ‘Cargo Ship’ with Zero Emissions – Reproduction/Youtube*

According to data from the company, the Argo hydrofoil has a cruising speed capability that can reach 40 knots (74 km/h), meaning that the hydrofoil can be up to twice as fast as a conventional cargo ship.

In this aspect alone, it can significantly help reduce transportation costs, even with the fact that transport time on a cargo plane remains quite long.

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Hydrogen Hydrofoil Dimensions

The Argo is about 33.5 meters long, making it very small compared to the largest cargo transport ship in the world, which is the OOCL Hong Kong, measuring about 400 meters in length and able to accommodate up to 20,000 containers.

According to Boundary Layer Technologies CEO Ed Kearney, the reduced size and cargo capacity can cut the turnaround time from 3 days to only 2 hours, while also allowing docking anywhere. This enables the Argo hydrofoil to tackle ports that are often very congested, while simultaneously triggering a kind of competition with air cargo travel times.

Technical Specifications of Argo and Upcoming Steps for the Company

As previously mentioned, the Argo is 33.5 meters long, can reach speeds of up to 40 knots (74 km/h), has a range of 1,500 nautical miles (2,780 km), a capacity of up to 200 tons, and is powered by hydrogen.

So far, Boundary Layer Technologies has already managed to complete the development of some key components for the hydrofoil’s operation. However, the goal is to conduct large-scale tests, but only by the end of 2023, aiming to enable a new cargo transport service in the Asian continent by mid-2024. However, the company is still seeking a partnership.

According to Per Karsten Stolle, strategic consultant for the startup, after hearing feedback from clients about combining a zero-emission transport solution and expense reduction, this is a turning point that could help achieve climate goals. Looking ahead, Boundary Layer Technologies is working on the construction of a larger vessel, aimed at a transpacific service mission. According to the company, there is a letter of intent for 180 million dollars with the digital freight forwarder Flexport.

Compact And Fast Hydrogen-Powered Hydrofoil Aims To Replace The Cargo Aircraft Market

The Responsible Company Is Already Making It Possible to Put the Hydrogen-Powered Hydrofoil at the Disposal of Cargo Transport by Sea in 2024

Also Read

Meet the Hydrogen-Powered Hydrofoil Argo

Hydrogen Hydrofoil Dimensions

Technical Specifications of Argo and Upcoming Steps for the Company

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Compact And Fast Hydrogen-Powered Hydrofoil Aims To Replace The Cargo Aircraft Market

The Responsible Company Is Already Making It Possible to Put the Hydrogen-Powered Hydrofoil at the Disposal of Cargo Transport by Sea in 2024

Also Read

Meet the Hydrogen-Powered Hydrofoil Argo

Hydrogen Hydrofoil Dimensions

Technical Specifications of Argo and Upcoming Steps for the Company

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Seen from space, an image taken by an astronaut shows an unlikely oasis in the Saudi Arabian desert, protected by a terrain that slows the advance of sand, surrounded by green circles, remnants of an extinct lake and nearly 10,000 years of preserved history.

While in Brazil a 10-story building takes 2 years to complete, in China a company stacks pre-fabricated modules and raises the entire building in just 28 hours and 45 minutes.

An entire island in the Pacific wants to surround itself with a colossal barrier against the ocean to try to escape increasingly violent waves and not be swallowed by the sea in the coming decades.

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With 7.4 trillion tons of artificial snow pumped in 10 years, an extreme operation could stabilize the West Antarctic ice sheet and prevent a sea level rise of more than 3 meters, but it would require snow cannons, ocean water, and energy on an almost industrial scale at the end of the world.

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