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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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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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 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 Turanor PlanetSolar will start its maiden voyage around the world in 2011.

Photograph: Christian Charisius/Reuters

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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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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 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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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 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 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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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 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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Along the cruise from New York to San Francisco to Abu Dhabi, the boat's world tour will last about 140 days and the organisers said that the vessel can keep up an average speed of about 8 knots.

Photograph: Christian Charisius/Reuters

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The marvellous boat is covered in 5,300 square feet of photovoltaic solar panels consisting of 38,000 next-generation cells by SunPower.

Photograph: Christian Charisius/Reuters