The zero emissions ship Porrima P111 was launched yesterday in Kaohsiung, showcasing the nation’s advancement in green technology, city Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said.
The nation last year acquired the Swiss-owned vessel, formerly known as Turanor PlanetSolar, in a bid to boost Taiwan’s technology sector, as well as ecotourism in Palau, Chen said at the ship’s launch ceremony at Singda Harbor.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr and Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) also attended the event.
Photo: Lee Hui-chou, Taipei Times
The original vessel was the first solar-powered ship to circumnavigate the globe in a voyage from 2010 to 2012.
Taiwan-based Porrima Inc (保利馬) installed upgrades with parts sourced from Taiwanese vendors and would utilize the high-tech yacht for scuba diving and pleasure cruises in waters around Palau, Chen said.
The vessel’s completion is a show of Taiwan’s technical prowess and is a milestone in the use of technology to protect the environment, he said.
Photo: Lee Hui-chou, Taipei Times
The project has breathed life into Kaohsiung’s aspirations of becoming a world leader in constructing emissions-free vessels and brought jobs to the city, Chen said.
The value of the ship construction project is in the product, and the innovation and technology that went into its creation, he said, citing the electric vehicle industry as an example.
The launch of Porrima P111 is not only the pride of Kaohsiung, but a symbol of Taiwan and Palau working together toward a goal of net zero emissions, he said.
Photo: Lee Hui-chou, Taipei Times
The Porrima P111 is a zero carbon vessel powered by solar, wind and hydrogen-based energy, said Acer Inc (宏碁) founder Stan Shih (施振榮), who is also Porrima’s cofounder and an economic adviser to Palau.
The high-tech yacht would sail in the waters around Taiwan as part of its certification and testing process before making a voyage to Japan in October, he said.
Porrima is to take part in the government’s Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project, he said, referring to a government initiative to facilitate economic development in nations that maintain formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, including Palau.
The company would be involved in employing the ships for high-end tourism in Palau, Shih said.
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