VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnamese and Swiss flags flew on the MS Turanor PlanetSolar, the world’s largest solar-powered boat, when it landed at Nha Trang Bay, during its around-the-world tour.

World’s largest solar-powered ship visits Vietnam
Captain Erwan Le Rouzic said that the first around-the-world tour of MS Turanor PlanetSolar aims to check and perfect the operation of the solar-powered system and deliver the call of using solar energy – the clean energy.

“Nha Trang is a beautiful and peaceful city,” he said.

With a Swiss flag, the boat was built in Germany at the coast of $17 million. The Turanor began its around-the-globe campaign on September 27th, 2010, sailing from Monaco and travelling 37,000 kilometers so far, using only energy generated from the sun.

The 95-ton vessel is covered by 530 square meters of solar panels that provide up to 95 kilowatts. It is exclusively powered by 38,000 solar cells. Raphael Domjan, PlanetSolar’s founder and co-skipper of Turanor, said his vision was to show the world that technology could help solve such problems as climate change and rising energy costs.
Before coming to Vietnam, the boat landed in the Philippines and Hong Kong. After leaving Nha Trang on September 4, the boat went to Singapore. It is scheduled to complete the expedition by early May 2012.

The around-the-world tour is scheduled for two years so the boat is conducted by two ekip four-member teams. The team to Nha Trang is the second team, including Erwan Le Rouzic (captain – French), Jens Langwasser (in charge of equipment, German), Christian Ochsenbein (in charge of electric system, Swiss) and Tobias Wuelser (reporter, Swiss).  

The ship opened for Vietnamese visitors on September 1. Below are pictures taken during the visit:


VNE