There’s no one way to build a low-emission passenger vessel. One route may call for renewable diesel, another for a hybrid that switches to battery power in the harbor, and another for a fully electric vessel that plugs in at the dock. This session looks at the differences and tradeoffs behind each, using vessels now in service and under construction as real-world examples.  

Shipbuilders, naval architects, and charging infrastructure providers will come together to talk through the decisions behind recent projects — and where the sector goes next. The panel will separate what’s proven from what’s still maturing and give operators a framework for evaluating the options against their own routes and economics. 

Discussion topics will include why a design team recommends one propulsion architecture over another for a given route, what shipyards are learning about integrating complex propulsion packages, what’s required to bring commercial-grade fast charging to a working waterfront, and what made these projects viable from the start — including grant programs and public-private cost-sharing. 

Panelists will also look ahead to hydrofoils and other efficiency plays, retrofit strategies for existing fleets, and how to design flexibility into a vessel ordered today so it can adopt technology that’s still coming to market.