Evaluation and Adaptions to the Greenheart Project zero-emission vessel for service in the Pacific Islands

Abstract

This paper provides an evaluation on the suitability of the Greenheart Project vessel design for the Pacific Islands and proposes adaptations for an improved design that is specifically tailored to an updated set of requirements. The Greenheart Project vessel design was developed by an open-source design process and is part of an initiative to develop zero-emission sail and solar ships for remote island locations. The original vessel design stands unaltered since 2014 and the design has now been tested against an updated set of client requirements which were developed in cooperation with local stakeholders. Proposed adaptations to the design are described and an alternative design is proposed that specifically matches with the proposed client requirements. Three types of requirements are developed and discussed: technical, operational, and economic. The research results in adaptations which are integrated into a final design. This paper discusses the evaluation of the Greenheart Project, the considered adaptations and elaborates specifically on the propulsion system.