Dubai Harbor recently received the Swiss experimental vessel PORRIMA, solely powered by renewable energy, as part of its worldwide voyage across five continents, known as Blue Odyssey.
The first-of-its-kind solar, wind, and hydrogen-powered ship left Osaka, Japan, in mid-December 2021, traveling more than 11,000 kilometers non-stop to reach its second destination, Dubai Harbor.
Dubai Harbor, the winner of the world’s newest cruise development at the first annual World Cruise Awards in 2021, is home to the region’s largest marina, Dubai’s first dedicated superyacht marina, and the Bay Marina, which can accommodate ships up to 160 meters in length.
Dubai Harbor is also home to the Palm View Marina and Harbor Marina, which offers 556 berths for yachts up to 40 meters and a curated mix of restaurants, cafes, and retail offers.
Upon arrival in Dubai Harbor, the ship unveiled a suite of proven reusable technologies. It will invite young people to join the ‘Blue Campus’ to learn and develop skills around the next-generation solutions for sustainable marine industries and resource conservation.
Mr. Abdulla Binhabtoor, Chief Portfolio Management Officer, Shamal Holding, the company which owns Dubai Harbor, stated that “We are excited to welcome the PORRIMA to Dubai Harbor for its third odyssey around the globe. It is exciting to see how the intersection of technology and sustainability come together to help tackle the environmental challenges that we face today.”
“Having just concluded our role as host of the Dubai International Boat Show, we witnessed a wide range of innovative, sustainable marine technology showcased at the show, which is a testament to the UAE’s dedication to promoting and embracing eco-friendly alternatives to protect our oceans. The PORRIMA brings sustainable mobility to the forefront, and we are committed to accelerating action to preserve a healthy planet for generations to come,” Mr. Binhabtoor added.
The first-of-its-kind solar, wind, and hydrogen-powered ship PORRIMA during its voyage.
The journey aims to study the vessel dock at ports around the world to demonstrate how to tackle problems such as pollution and climate change through the use of commercially viable renewable technologies in time for the opening of the Expo 2025 Osaka. The project comes in response to a call to action from the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, which invites initiatives to realize the ‘Ideal Future Society.’
PORRIMA, named after the future Roman goddess, was the first to circumnavigate the world using only solar energy under the former name ‘Planet Solar’. Now, using solar energy, wind, and hydrogen, the 36-meter-100-ton ship uses artificial intelligence and technology inspired by nature. As the lungs remove CO2 from our blood, PORRIMA uses the same technology to purify seawater and isolate and destroy microplastics and is the only vessel licensed to produce and use hydrogen.
Mr. Gunter Pauli, the creator of this Enterprise, sets out to inspire the next generation with competitive and commercially viable innovative technologies and technologies.
Mr. Pauli remarked that “We need to wake up the entrepreneurs of the future, and I believe Dubai is the right place for this. The innovation and adoption of the kind of technologies that we are showcasing on the PORRIMA will have a fundamental role to play in the realization of many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – and provide a blueprint for creating an ideal future society.”
In 1994, Mr. Pauli established a Zero Emission Research and Initiatives think tank in United Nations University at Tokyo, where he was involved in the invention of technologies that support sustainable resource use. This network of 3,000 scientists was activated by the PORRIMA Blue Odyssey project.
The PORRIMA will depart from Dubai Harbor by the end of March to commemorate the conclusion of Expo 2020 Dubai and will continue its global voyage.
