At 2:12 PM local time today, the MS *Tûranor *entered Monaco's Hercule Harbor, becoming the first ship to travel around the world using only solar power.

It's the same harbor where the *Tûranor *set out from more than 19 months and 37,286 miles ago. Since then, the ship has made port in six continents, fended off pirates and broke four Guinness world records, including longest journey by solar powered boat and first circumnavigation by solar powered boat.

For the team behind the *Tûranor, *the work has just started. They've spent more than a year and a half preaching the solar gospel at stops around the world, and their passion for the power of the sun hasn't dimmed one bit.

"The MS Tûranor PlanetSolar is much more than a ship," said Immo Stroeher, the German entrepreneur whose investment made the trip possible. "It has become an ambassador of solar energy. The arrival in Monaco is only the start! We now have to take advantage of the fame of PlanetSolar in order to promote the use of solar energy."

It's a pretty remarkable achievement. The 115 foot long, Swiss-flagged catamaran was only a dream and some plans as of three years ago, and although it took quite awhile to complete its voyage, it did so without any major problems. The crew occasionally found themselves awaiting the sun when the ship's batteries ran out of energy, but no major components ever failed.

If you happen to be in Monaco this weekend, you'll be able to enjoy the celebrations surrounding the ship's return. There's a concert and laser light show powered entirely by the Tûranor's batteries, and Prince Albert II will be on board on Saturday. On Monday, it's sailing to Marseille for a European solar power conference.

After that, the ship's long-term future is a bit cloudy. The team behind the Tûranor is either going to sell or lease the vessel, but for an as-yet unknown purpose.

"We are considering renting out the boat for scientific or commercial uses or even selling it," Stroeher said. "We are open for ideas and in talks with interested parties – from the use as a 'green' luxury yacht to scientific usages and the utilization as the world's largest mobile solar power battery, everything is possible."

Photos: PlanetSolar