Charles Silva, owner of the company that will handle the conversion, said that as natural gas is a clean and economic fuel that cannot be altered, it has great potential in the market. The businessman also stated he is negotiating with Cigas, the state’s natural gas distributor, to install a refuelling point that will supply the fleet of boats.
“In one of Manaus’ 18 cooperatives, there are already 124 boats interested in being converted to natural gas,” said Silva, who remarked that the project could take place between 6 months to a year when authorities approved the conversion kits and the company in charge of the process.
While the use of CNG is emerging in the state of Amazonas, the boats’ technology was already tested in “Ivete Sangalo” ferry, which operates in Bahia with 70 percent of natural gas and 30 of diesel.
