Olympic champion skippers bid to make UK world leader in eco-friendly ferries
(World News UK)

A double Olympic gold medallist is skippering a bid to make the UK a world leader in zero-emissions passenger ferries. Sailing champion Iain Percy is combining his own know-how from designing America´s Cup racing yachts with expertise from the maritime, aerospace and F1 racing industries to develop what he calls a `plane underwater`. Southampton-born Percy, 43, has chosen Belfast - a city with a rich ship and aircraft building heritage - as the location for the eco-friendly hydrofoil technology. His consortium - which includes leading manufacturers such as Bombardier UK and universities and local councils in Northern Ireland - is currently vying for a £30 million Government grant to...