Cyprus launches first zero-emissions vessel

Her Excellency, the Shipping Deputy Minister to the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Marina Hadjimanolis held a naming ceremony for Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute’s first zero-emissions vessel – Evploia Aphrodite – on October 24, 2024.

Battery electric vessel

Evploia Aphrodite is a battery-driven fully electric vessel, designed and constructed to address the decarbonization challenges of the coastal fleet of Cyprus. It is reportedly the first zero-emissions and near-zero-noise vessel to sail the coasts of Cyprus and a solution for short sea routes. It will act as a research platform for Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute and the national and international ecosystems, using its environmentally friendly and smart characteristics.

This project is part of Co-Develop-GT/0322/0029 and is funded by the European Union –   NextGenerationEU, through the Research and Innovation Foundation. The consortium partners were the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute, SignalGeneriX and FP Marine.

Evploia Aphrodite

Evploia (Eyiaoia), which means ‘smooth sailing’ in ancient Greek, was one of the many epithets of the ancient Greek goddess Aphrodite. She emerged from the sea near Paphos, after sailing in the foam from the island of Kythera. Although best known as the goddess of love, Aphrodite was also a patron deity of navigation and seafaring because she was considered to have the power to provide smooth sailing. Indicative of that are the numerous epithets of Aphrodite associated with the sea but also the numerous cult-sites throughout the Mediterranean that are associated with Aphrodite, located near the sea, such as the sanctuaries at Paphos, Amathus, Idalion and Salamis in Cyprus.

In related news, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has issued an expression of interest (EOI) for design and development proposals for its electric patrol craft, as part of efforts to decarbonize and digitalize maritime operations. Click here to read the full story.