Shields Ferry experiments with renewable fuel for the first time in its near 200-year history

First launched on its current route in 1830, the ferry between South and North Shields is five years away from celebrating its double centenary.

But when that milestone arrives, there’s the prospect of a break with the past and the ferry will be running on the clean energy of the future.

Last month, transport company Nexus, which operates both the ferry crossing and the Tyne and Wear Metro service, carried out trials powering the famous ferry on biofuels.

Two vessels currently cover the route, the Pride of the Tyne which entered service in 1993 and the Spirit of the Tyne which entered service in 2007 - and it was the more modern boat which was the guinea pig for the low emissions test.

The tests were successfully carried out on January 14 for half-a-day and then for three full days, on January 16, 17 and 18, with the vessel operating on HVO fuel (Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil) for the first time.

Although the trials demonstrated that the switch could be successfully made, the challenge facing transport chiefs hoping to move to cleaner fuel is that it is currently twice the cost of the diesel currently used, and may need subsidies to make it viable.

John Souter, head of customer service operations at Nexus, confirmed: “We have undertaken a limited trial of ultra-low emission bio-fuel on the Shields Ferry as an alternative to diesel.

“This forms part of our environmental strategy, which is examining new ways in which we can lower the Ferry’s carbon footprint as part of the fight against climate change.

“The Spirit of the Tyne, had her engines tested running on a renewable type of fuel made from Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO). She then successfully operated in full service with the HVO in her fuel tank for three and a half days.

“This was the culmination of an extensive research project carried out by our engineering team.”

Shipping is responsible for almost three per cent of carbon emissions globally, and while international efforts are being made to tackle the problem, the North East has been at the forefront of finding ways to reduce it.

Partners from across the UK and Europe came together at the Port of Tyne two months ago to officially launch the Green North Sea Shipping Corridor Project, which aims to create one of the world's first green shipping corridors between the Port of Tyne and the Port of IJmuiden in Amsterdam.

The ferry itself is not part of that project but is part of broader efforts to source more sustainable forms of transport for the future.

HVO fuel, which can reduce emissions by more than 90 per cent, is seen as part of that solution.

Diesel and petrol are made from hydrocarbons extracted from crude oil, while HVO is a synthesised diesel fuel made from renewable sources such as waste crops, vegetable oils, or animal fats, using a specialist hydrotreatment process.

Its chemical composition is almost identical to ultra-low sulphur diesel, but it significantly reduces harmful emissions and is recognised as a renewable fuel source by the Department for Transport and International Sustainability and Carbon Certification organisation (ISCC).

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Cost, though, remains the main sticking point for the moment, despite its other advantages.

Mr Souter added: “As well as having less particulates than diesel, it offers advantages in terms of storage and cold weather performance.

“The aim of this trial was to understand more about HVO and its performance on our vessels.

“This trial and the in-service operation are the successful conclusion of that.

“We are now assessing the costs and benefits to see how this might be taken forward in the future.

“The challenge we face is that HVO currently costs substantially more than diesel fuel.”