PortsToronto airport shuttle ferry re-enters service after battery retrofit

The PortsToronto-owned ferry Marilyn Bell I, which connects passengers, vehicles and supplies to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, is now fitted with a lithium-ion power and propulsion system containing no diesel components.

The ferry first entered service in 2010. Its propulsion system was upgraded in 2018 to accommodate biodiesel fuel, and an additional upgrade in 2021 meant that its diesel generators and engines were removed to make way for a new electric power and propulsion system and a suite of lithium-ion batteries fueled by 100 per cent renewable electricity.

The electricity that powers Marilyn Bell I is derived entirely from wind and solar sources provided by Bullfrog Power. PortsToronto claims the upgraded propulsion system can reduce emissions by approximately 530 tonnes each year.