Feasibility Study of a Hybrid-electric Taxi Boat for the Venice Lagoon

The negative environmental impact induced by exhaust gases emissions within navigation has generated a permanent problem. Measures aimed at reducing pollution involve the proposal of innovative low-impact boats for passengers mobility, able to embrace the principles of eco-sustainability. Design phases for such units require a careful and accurate study regarding both the working environment and the operational profile. As a result, in a peculiar region such as the Venice Lagoon, project alternatives necessarily have to based on both the unique characteristics of the area and the laws and regulations in force. In this paper, the authors started from the analysis of the rule framework within the Venice Lagoon to define design constraints and to propose an innovative hybrid-electric catamaran taxi boat able to merge both small wave generation and Zero Emission Mode navigation.