The 1883 built steam passenger vessel ‘Alaska‘ is taking a radical lead in making travel on the River Thames Greener and has changed over to a sustainable carbon neutral fuel. Previously fired with Welsh steam coal she is now changing over to recycled wood waste briquettes, a product made from recycled waste sawdust and woodchips from manufacturing processes.
Thames Steamers’ Director, Peter Green, has wanted to reduce the vessel’s carbon footprint for a number of years but until recently the only available alternative fuel was ordinary wood which has a very low heat output compared with coal, making it physically impossible to carry the large volume required to generate the equivalent amount of steam that coal burning produces. With coal the boat could carry enough fuel for about 36 hours running, (essential when covering long distances along the 90 odd miles of river between Oxford and Teddington), whilst a boat load of wood would only last for a few hours at best.
However, the briquettes are formed under very high pressure which makes them very dense and enables them to give a similar heat output to coal. Members of the public may take a ‘green’ cruise aboard ‘Alaska‘ over the Late May Bank Holiday Weekend.
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