'Ecoboat' halts in Kochi on world record-breaking race

Kochi, Jun 14 (UNI) 'Earthrace', a powerboat running fully on bio-diesel, had a short stopover at Cochin Port today, its only halt in India, as it attempts to break the round-the-world speed record.

The unique craft, a three-hull sailing boat, which has zero carbon print, arrived in Kochi around 1400 hrs and left around 1730 hrs after refuelling and engine maintenance work.

With four crew members on board, including Captain Pete Bethune, the 78-foot 'trimaran' (a catamaran with three hulls) arrived here from Singapore and left for Salalah in Oman.

The boat left from Sagunto, Spain, on April 27 in an attempt to break the round-the-world speed record.

Expressing satisfaction at the Kochi stopover, local coordinators of the event said the halt went off smoothly and the boat crew got ''excellent'' support from Cochin Port Trust (CPT) personnel.

The boat is cutting across the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans as it tries to circumnavigate 24,000 miles on a maximum speed of 40 knots, fuelled only on bio-diesel.

The bio-diesel used for refuelling here had been brought into the port earlier from Portugal, local organisers GAC Shipping said.

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