NORFOLK (AP) -- The Navy says a demonstration run of a 49-foot vessel using a new alternate fuel was a success.
Rear Adm. Phil Cullom said Friday the Riverine Command Boat achieved a speed topping 44 knots in waters off Naval Station Norfolk.
The demonstration involved a 50-50 blend of the Navy's standard fuel with an algae-based biofuel.
The shallow-draft Riverine has been used in the Iraq War to patrol rivers.
The alternate fuel mix is part of the Navy's efforts to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.
The Navy aims at launching an alternate-fueled strike group called the "Great Green Fleet" in 2016.
Cullom called Friday's demonstration a "fantastic" step in that direction.
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