At first glance, the red ship hardly looks like a herald of the future. Even its owner admits the hull needs a coat of paint and the interior some spit and polish.
But in a few weeks, the Elding – Icelandic for $quot;Lightning$quot; – will be transformed into the world’s first hydrogen-equipped commercial vessel, the latest sign that Iceland is pushing hard to become the first nation to break free from the constraints of fossil fuel.
Come April, visitors to Europe’s northernmost capital will get a taste of that future by taking whale-watching tours aboard the ship, or renting one of the world’s first hydrogen-powered hire cars.
The conversion of the Elding to hydrogen power will initially be confined to the use of a fuel cell to power the engine that runs its lighting, but for 43 euros ($A72) a trip, the ship will offer whale-watchers unprecedented peace.
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