Car Carrying Solar Ship

Photo by Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times

The M/V Auriga Leader, part of a demonstration project by the Port of Long Beach, Toyota and Tokyo-based shipping company NYK Line, is the first ship to use solar energy to help fill all of the vessel's power needs, rather than to run auxiliary lights or serve other small functions. The Auriga Leader has a solar array of 328 panels on it's top deck which provides 10% of the energy used by the ship while it is docked.

According to Brian Mason, national manager of marine logistics and export for Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc., "This is the first ship to direct the solar power into the ship's main electrical grid.  It's helping all of the time, and its helping with everything, like the ship's thrusters and the hydraulics for the steering gear."

Not only does the ship offset energy needs through the use of solar it also burns less fuel as a result of the additional solar power.  The ship's solar array can generate approximately 40 kilowatts. 

According to Fumihiko Shimizu, manager of the U.S. car carrier group for NYK Logistics and Megacarrier, the shipping company is still evaluating how well the panels work, including whether they will hold up under the corrosive effects of salt sea air.