The Aquatanker, by Australian company Solarsailor, is a concept “green” supertanker designed to transport large volumes of potable (i.e., drinkable) water. The 400 m by 31 m vessel will sail at 15 knots (about 28 km/h) using a solar wing sail with solar cell array technology, providing renewable energy and reducing fuel consumption and emissions by nearly 50% compared to an otherwise similar conventional tanker. The Aquatanker will use Hybrid Marine Power technology, much like the engine of a modern hybrid car, combining electric drive with the power and range of hydrocarbon fuel.
The concept has a number of important advantages over existing supertankers including reduced operating cost, good scalability, a fast development time, and is vastly more environmentally "sensitive". A green Unmanned Ocean Vehicle (UOV) specifically suited for persistent ocean surveillance for military, oceanographic, and commercial applications is also in the works.
More information and images from the Solarsailor website.
