Uber Boat by Thames Clippers welcomes third hybrid passenger ferry

Uber Boat by Thames Clippers, a partnership between river bus service Thames Clipper and transport company Uber, has welcomed the latest addition to its fleet: the Mars Clipper, a hybrid passenger ferry.

Constructed at Wight Shipyard on the Isle of Wight, the ferry has joined its predecessors, namely the Earth Clipper—London’s ‘first-ever’ hybrid passenger ferry launched in September 2023—and the Celestial Clipper, which was welcomed to the fleet in March 2024. According to Uber Boat by Thames Clippers’ website, the three hybrid vessels will service Central London together, carrying passengers on journeys with zero tailpipe emissions.

Namely, the trio of vessels—powered by Danfoss Power Solutions—is expected to achieve a nearly 90% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to conventional marine diesel-only journeys. Furthermore, since the hybrid boats operate exclusively on electric power and can recharge while utilizing biofuel for the remainder of their routes, it is estimated that there will be a 16.5% emissions reduction per vessel compared to using biofuel alone across the entire route.

Commenting on the arrival of the Mars Clipper and the ferry’s potential implications on sustainable transport, Sean Collins, Uber Boat by Thames Clippers co-founder and CEO, said that the company’s goal was to ensure London had ‘the best and most sustainable transport option in the world’, in line with Uber Boat by Thames Clippers’ climate targets of reducing carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, before achieving net zero by 2040.

“We are immensely proud of being able to launch our third hybrid vessel in less than 12 months.  Seeing these wonderful boats sail the Thames together is a momentous day for Uber Boat by Thames Clippers and this symbolizes our commitment to achieve a net zero status by 2040,” Collins highlighted.

He added that, going forward, all of the company’s future vessels would use a hybrid system and, where and if possible, fully electrified or zero-emission technology.

Mars Clipper is the 20th high-speed catamaran to join the Uber Boat by Thames Clippers fleet. Together with its sister vessels, Earth Clipper and Celestial Clipper, Mars Clipper is expected to increase the River Bus’s total capacity by just under 700 passengers.

For Uber Boat by Thames Clippers, the road to sustainability marches on. The company reported that work is already underway for the next step: introducing London’s first fully electric Zero Emission Cross River Ferry between Canary Wharf and Rotherhithe, by the spring of 2025 – the ‘first of its kind in the UK’.