The world’s busiest chain ferry service has embarked on a journey to achieve zero emissions.

The Torpoint Bridge to Zero project will deliver an engineering-ready plan to transition the Torpoint Ferry service from fossil fuel power to 100 per cent shore-supplied green electricity and providing a blueprint to decarbonise the entire fleet and inform the next generation of vessels.

Torpoint is the world’s busiest chain ferry service by daily crossings and passenger volumes, carrying over 3 million vehicles and 400,000 pedestrians annually across the River Tamar between Torpoint (Cornwall) and Devonport (Plymouth).

The service is operated by Tamar Crossings, which is jointly owned by Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council. Its unique chain propulsion system, tidal river environment, and rapid embarkation / disembarkation schedule make full decarbonisation technically challenging – but also highly relevant for other short-sea vessels in the UK and worldwide.

The project is funded by the UK Government’s Department for Transport through the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC).

Sarah Fear, sector lead (marine and low carbon) at the University of Plymouth, said: “This project advances the world-leading reputation for clean maritime research, operational expertise, and innovation in Plymouth and South-East Cornwall. By capturing and analysing detailed performance data, we will generate evidence-based solutions that can be applied to the Torpoint Ferries, and to many other ferry routes in the UK and globally that are facing similar constraints.”

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