Superboat will be powered by new eco-friendly fuel

A boat to be built by Portsmouth ocean adventurer Alan Priddy will run on a revolutionary new fuel designed to cut emissions.

He said yesterday at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London that the boat would be powered by eco-friendly ‘emulsion’.

It follows last week’s announcement of Mr Priddy’s plans to build a boat on Hayling Island able to circumnavigate the world in 53 days – beating the current record of 60 days.

Mr Priddy said the fuel, invented by SulNOx Fuel Fusions, was a mixture of diesel, water and emulsifier.

He said: ‘The reaction to this has been fantastic. We always knew it would be.

‘The shipping industry is blown away by the fact that you can actually set fire to water.’

It is hoped the project will create up to 300 jobs and secure long-term commercial boatbuilding for the Portsmouth area worth tens of millions of pounds.

Mr Priddy has already set 37 world records, including one for circumnavigating the British Isles in an Rigid-Inflatable Boat.

He set a record for sailing across the Atlantic in 103 hours in 2003.

He said it was the team’s second attempt to build a record-breaking boat capable of circling the 
globe.

He added: ‘Our first attempt came to an abrupt end in 2012 when a fire at an adjoining factory damaged the structural integrity of the hull – but we learnt from this setback.

‘With the addition of SulNOx, we have a boat that will not just break the world record, but will do it cleaner and greener than anyone else.’

Mr Priddy said the emulsion was made by smashing ordinary fuel and water together repeatedly and under great pressure, which altered the size of the fuel particles at a nano level.

He said he hoped the project would serve as an example of what Britain could achieve.

He said: ‘This is the culmination of a lifetime’s work that I hope will highlight the amazing qualities and skills that we have in abundance in our country – the best sailors, engineers, boat builders and designers.’

Mr Priddy said the boat would cost £3.8m and would be built by ABC Marine. The world-record attempt is expected to start in November next year.