The world's largest solar boat
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A woman walks on the deck of Turanor PlanetSolar, the world's largest solar-powered boat, in Cancun.
The 30-metre-long and 16 metre wide catamaran is topped with about 500 square metre of photovoltaic solar panels.
Meanwhile, the world's governments struggled to break a deadlock between rich and poor nations on steps to fight global warming and avert a new, damaging setback after they failed to agree a UN treaty last year in Copenhagen.
While South Africa and Brazil have agreed to legally binding emission cuts, India has summarily rejected the idea.
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The world's largest solar boat
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Immo Stroher, owner of the world's largest solar-powered boat, stands on its deck in Cancun.
Photograph: Gerardo Garcia/Reuters
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The world's largest solar boat
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Skippers Raphael Domjan of Switzerland and Gerard D'Aboville of France in the solar boat, Turanor PlanetSolar, following a ceremony at the HDW shipyard in Kiel.
Photograph: Christian Charisius/Reuters
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The world's largest solar boat
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The solar boat, Turanor PlanetSolar, is seen during its christening and launch ceremony at the HDW shipyard in Kiel.
Photograph: Christian Charisius/Reuters
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The world's largest solar boat
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The Turanor PlanetSolar will start its maiden voyage around the world in 2011.
Photograph: Christian Charisius/Reuters
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The world's largest solar boat
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Solar boat Turanor PlanetSolar is fixed on a mooring following its launch and christening at the HDW shipyard in Kiel.
Photograph: Christian Charisius/Reuters
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The world's largest solar boat
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Turanor PlanetSolar, the largest solar boat, in the world was build by the shipyard of Knierim Yachtbau in Kiel.
Photograph: Christian Charisius/Reuters
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The world's largest solar boat
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The Turanor PlanetSolar arrived in Cancun on December 6 as part of its expedition around the globe and as climate talks are under way in the beach resort.
Photograph: Christian Charisius/Reuters
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The world's largest solar boat
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Turanor PlanetSolar is registered in Switzerland and was financed by a German entrepreneur.
The construction of the 60-tonne boat cost $24.4 million.
Photograph: Christian Charisius/Reuters
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The world's largest solar boat
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The name Turanor was derived from J R R Tolkien's novel The Lord of the Rings, and it translates to 'The Power of the Sun'.
Photograph: Christian Charisius/Reuters
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The world's largest solar boat
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The boat has been categorised as a yacht.
It displaces 85 metric tonnes, is 31 mts long (35 mts with flaps), and has a beam of 15 mts (23 mts with flaps).
Photograph: Christian Charisius/Reuters
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The world's largest solar boat
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Raphael Domjan and Gerard D'Aboville will skipper the boat, which has a maximum speed of 14 knots (26 km/hr); and a cruising speed of 7.5 knots (14 km/hr). It takes a crew of four to manage the boat.
Photograph: Christian Charisius/Reuters
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The world's largest solar boat
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The project was conceived by Raphael Domjan, a 38-year-old Swiss, who -- with Frenchman Gerard d'Aboville (the first person to successfully row the Atlantic Ocean) -- will skipper the PlanetSolar around the world in April 2011.
Photograph: Christian Charisius/Reuters
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