SINGAPORE: On the Singapore River, electric ferries are giving visitors a quieter and cleaner alternative to traditional diesel-powered boats.

The ferries, which run on batteries supported by solar panels, are built by local startup Pyxis.

Each boat uses about the same amount of power as two to three hairdryers while cruising, according to the company’s founder Tommy Phun.

Five of them have been operating along the Singapore River since 2025, with another nine expected to hit the water by the end of this year. 

Mr Phun said that demand for the company’s range of electric vessels – which also include harbour craft for port operations – has roughly doubled over the past two to three years.

Interest is now coming from overseas markets such as Japan and Indonesia.

He added that the rising demand comes as rules around emissions tighten and the cost of running electric vessels becomes more competitive.

“Regulatory and decarbonisation targets by companies are becoming clearer, more firmed up,” Mr Phun noted.

“The total cost of (electric vessel) ownership is starting to work quite well, especially for routes that are very heavily utilised, and especially so in this current high fuel price environment,” he added.

Fuel prices have spiked globally since the war on Iran broke out in end-February, due to the disruption to Gulf oil supplies.

FIRMS LOOK BEYOND SINGAPORE

Another player in the sector, Yinson GreenTech, is also seeing strong demand, particularly outside Singapore.

The Malaysia-headquartered company has already secured contracts in the United Arab Emirates, as interest in its electric vessels moves from pilot projects to commercial deployment.

Such technologies are seen as a way to reduce emissions in shipping, especially for short-distance operations such as harbour craft, which are allowed to only ply within the waters of Singapore.

One such vessel, the Hydromover, is designed to transport cargo, supplies and crew...