Marine transport

Electrification

Electric boats splash down in rural Maine’s coastal waters

Battery-powered vessels are catching on in the U.S. and globally as the tech improves. In Maine’s Casco Bay, early adopters are using e-boats on oyster farms.

By Julia Tilton, Maria Gallucci . 15 September 2025

Willy Leathers, an oyster farmer, navigates his all-electric workboat in Maine's Casco Bay. (Julia Tilton/The Daily Yonder)

Marine transport

NYC just launched its first hybrid-electric ferry

The Harbor Charger is now cruising New York Harbor, cutting down on CO2 and diesel pollution. The vessel joins a tiny but growing U.S. fleet of cleaner boats.

By Maria Gallucci . 20 August 2025
Marine transport

Amogy raises $56M to commercialize ammonia for heavy-duty transit

The startup has now raised more than $270M to support its goal of decarbonizing tricky industries like shipping. So far, it has tested an ammonia-powered tugboat.

By Allison Prang . 15 January 2025
Marine transport

Cargo ships turn to ancient tech to curb modern pollution: wind

As shipping companies face mounting pressure to curb CO2 emissions, old-fashioned sails and new designs are helping to reduce the need for fossil fuels.

By Maria Gallucci . 9 December 2024
Marine transport

San Francisco launches world's first commercial hydrogen ferry

The fuel cell–powered vessel officially launched this week after years in development. Diesel ferries are among the biggest polluters on U.S. waterfronts.

By Maria Gallucci . 12 July 2024
Marine transport

This boat runs on 100% renewables. Can it help clean up bigger ships?

The Energy Observer has sailed the world as a floating lab of zero-emission technologies. Now its owners want to apply what they’ve learned to dirty freighters.

By Maria Gallucci . 17 April 2024
Marine transport

The first all-electric tugboat in the US is about to launch

The eWolf will begin operating this spring at the Port of San Diego, marking an important early step toward slashing diesel pollution from America's ports.

By Maria Gallucci . 9 April 2024
Liquefied natural gas

How safe are LNG terminals? Nearby communities have no way of knowing

As more liquefied natural gas terminals are built along the U.S. Gulf Coast, residents say a lack of transparency leaves them unsure about the safety hazards.

By Pam Radtke, Floodlight . 7 March 2024
Wind

How US protectionism is holding back the country's offshore wind plans

The Biden admin has an ambitious target for new offshore wind farms — but a 100-year-old law is slowing down construction and ratcheting up installation costs.

By David Jen . 19 February 2024
Hydrogen

How hydrogen 'e-fuels' can power big ships and planes

Aviation and international shipping are two huge climate polluters. Cleaning them up will likely require producing lots of hydrogen-derived fuels.

By Maria Gallucci . 31 January 2024
Marine transport

Is solar the future of boating? This engineer turned boat-builder says yes

David Borton is on a mission to make solar-electric boats mainstream. The Solaris, the first-ever Coast Guard–approved solar boat, offers a window into his vision.

By Dan McCarthy . 5 December 2023