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Hamilton Spectator
24-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
B.C.'s first ‘flying ferry' makes waves at the Squamish oceanfront
For video- In a demonstration that felt more like science fiction than public transit, an all-electric 'flying' ferry took to the waters of Howe Sound on June 23, showcasing its green technology. A flying ferry? Yes, you read that right. It uses hydro-foiling technology—'wings' that lift the vessel out of the water—only this one is fully electric. The Artemis EF-12 Escape, a zero-emission passenger vessel built by Belfast's Artemis Technologies, has arrived in B.C. in its latest run of demonstration voyages across North America. Leaving the Matthews West Harbour Air dock on Monday, June 23, hosts FRS Clipper and Greenline Ferries took The Squamish Chief, as well as representatives from the District of Squamish—including council members and Mayor Armand Hurford—representatives from the Squamish Chamber of Commerce, the downtown Squamish BIA, Tourism Squamish, Vancouver City council member Rebecca Bligh, and Sea to Sky MLA Jeremy Valeriote, in the Artemis EF-12 Escape for a literal spin around the harbour at 25 knots. The vessel's interior is comfortable and spacious, making up the 'premium' experience promised by Artemis Technologies, all with very little noise, which some may expect to be very much otherwise. Artemis Technologies states on its website that they aim to create 'a more sustainable maritime future… committed to pioneering sustainable solutions that tackle the global climate challenge.' 'We want to create a sustainable business to serve the people of Squamish, and we have to test certain things like speed, durability, and energy consumption,' said chief executive officer (CEO) of FRS Clipper, Mark Collins. 'This technology represents a fundamental change in operating costs; that's a game changer for the economics.' Other FRS Clipper and Greenline staff aboard explained how the vessel's technology works using hydro-foils, so as it accelerates and comes out of the water, 70 to 90% less energy is used for the engine. The foils or 'wings' can also be used to sail the boat, enabling it to turn at high speeds. With hydro foiling, in addition to the Artemis EF-12 Escape being made of lightweight carbon fibre, the vessel's weight is very limited; staff explained that the vessel's minimal weight also significantly reduces its wake. A boat's wake can disturb local life in waterways and the surrounding environment. 'The wake can damage the shoreline, and there are both cultural and economic problems with that,' said Collins, 'So, if you take out the wake, you reduce the chances of damage to people's private property, to cultural sites, archaeology, and history.' The electric vessel will have 'charge barges' (like EV stations); the founder and CEO of Greenline Ferries Callum Campbell, said that a trip to Bowen Island from downtown Vancouver, for example, could be done with charge only from Vancouver. However, if the vessel were to travel to downtown Vancouver from Squamish, which staff estimate would take just under an hour, it would need a charge at both docks. 'The ideal scenario [is] having charging everywhere so the [vessel] can always have an available fuel source, but you don't have to build up the system to the ideal right away; you do the operational plan with the infrastructure that you have for minimum viable service, and build up from there over time,' said Collins. The Artemis EF-12 Escape is the demonstrative vessel that is part of a wider sustainable transport project to be completed by 2027, which will feature larger passenger vessels, such as the Artemis EF-24 Passenger. The project will consist of an express ferry service between Gibsons, Bowen Island, and downtown Vancouver, taking approximately 56 minutes dock to dock at a maximum speed of 30 knots. FRS Clipper and Greenline Ferries staff said they plan to expand the express service to Victoria. Regarding Artemis Technologies' demonstrations taking place in B.C., Campbell explained Greenlines' affiliation and like-mindedness with the manufacturer. 'One thing we really want to showcase is that the technology is here, right? The engineers have done their work; the shipbuilders have done their work. 'This technology exists [in B.C.], so it's important for us to show that this is not one of our challenges in deployment and services; it is a big, ambitious project to bring in a new, all-electric ferry service into B.C.' Artemis Technologies is currently providing voyage demonstrations across North America; you can find more details about their technology and range of vessels to be launched on their website. Ina Pace is The Squamish Chief's Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) Reporter. This reporting was produced through the LJI, which supports original civic journalism across Canada. •Please note that The Squamish Chief updated this story after it was first published to include all the parties with representatives on the tour. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . 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CTV News
17-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Hydrofoil passenger ferry could be coming to B.C.
The Artemis EF-12 Escape, a hydrofoil ferry produced by Artemis Technologies in Belfast, conducts a demo off of Victoria's Inner Harbour.
CTV News
17-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Hydrofoil passenger ferry could be coming to B.C. in the near future
The Artemis EF-12 Escape, a hydrofoil ferry produced by Artemis Technologies in Belfast, conducts a demo off of Victoria's Inner Harbour. The Artemis EF-12 Escape, a hydrofoil ferry produced by Artemis Technologies in Belfast, conducts a demo off of Victoria's Inner Harbour. The Artemis EF-12 Escape took to the waters off Victoria's Inner Harbour Monday, and could one day be the future of passenger-only ferry service in B.C. It's fully electric and equipped with hydrofoils, or wings, underneath its hull, lifting the vessel out of the water while at cruising speed. The hydrofoils dramatically reduce its drag while travelling through the water, allowing it to reach speeds of up to 30 knots. That's double the pace of a conventional ferry, all while using half the energy. FRS Clipper has partnered with Victoria-based consulting group Greenline Ferries in bringing Artemis Technologies and the Escape to B.C. The group is looking at the feasibility of using this technology in the Pacific Northwest. 'This could be a game changer for the number of routes that we can supply to British Columbians,' said Mark Collins, CEO of FRS Clipper. Collins said the technology is sustainable and cost-effective, with the price of a vessel being comparable to the cost of a conventional ferry, although it's operating costs are much less. FRS Clipper is considering an expansion between Bowen Island, Gibsons and downtown Vancouver. If that were to prove successful, the company said a route between Colwood's Beachlands development and Victoria's Inner Harbour would not be out of the question. 'We call them shortcuts, anywhere where you can connect the heart of one community to the heart of another community, that's the opportunity for a passenger-only ferry,' said Callum Campbell, CEO of Greenline Ferries. The Artemis EF-12 Escape is a water taxi version that could be configured to carry up to 30 passengers. FRS Clipper is exploring purchasing the EF-24 Passenger version that is capable of carrying up to 150 passengers, which Artemis will be rolling out later this year. 'It is a little small for our projections on the Victoria to Seattle route, however that doesn't say that one day there could be two or even three operating alongside each other providing more frequency and more choices,' said Collins. The seemingly floating vessel's technology could offer a smoother ride in rough waters with a lighter environmental footprint.
ITV News
29-05-2025
- Business
- ITV News
Solent ferry firm hails 'new era' of flying high-speed electric ferries in the UK
The boss of a Solent ferry company has hailed a "new era" of flying high-speed electric ferries in the UK. Red Funnel, which runs passenger and vehicle services between Southampton and Cowes, Isle of Wight, has partnered with Belfast-based firm Artemis Technologies to launch a zero-emissions foiling vessel next year. The 150-passenger ferry, which costs between £10-12 million to build, uses advanced hydrofoil technology and modularised battery systems. The hull lifts out above the water, which significantly reduces drag and wake so that the electric boat can travel longer distances at speed. The Red Funnel ferry will be plugged in for a quick charge each time it berths and is expected to save up to 3,700 tonnes of carbon emissions each year compared with conventional high-speed ferries. Its launch in 2026 will follow that of two others built by Artemis Technologies, which are expected to launch in Belfast and Orkney later this year. Iain Percy, Olympic sailing gold medallist and chief executive of Artemis Technologies, said the EF-24 Passenger is the first-ever electric foiling boat of this size in the world with permission to run commercial services. "The problem with electric ferries is they really can't go far or fast," he said, with challenges including drag and huge amounts of energy from the grid to the batteries that need to be carried on board. "The flying part here – the foil – it's the unlocker to do commercially viable range and speed." Fran Collins, Red Funnel's chief executive, said: 'This isn't just a new vessel. It's the beginning of a new era – defined by zero-emission technology, a smoother passenger experience, and a shared ambition to decarbonise ferry travel.' Speaking to a stakeholder audience at the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes, Ms Collins said the partnership with Artemis allowed Red Funnel to take a 'tangible' step in its decarbonisation journey with little risk. "I was blown away by the technology and blown away by the work and the research that had gone into this," she said. The cost of the ferry is an uplift of around 30% compared with conventional ferries but the firm will save an estimated £1 million a year on running costs, with a boat shelf-life of around 25 years, according to Mr Percy. Calls for government intervention over 'unreliable' Isle of Wight ferries Calls for 'ferociously expensive' ferry services to be regulated The Olympic sailor said the firm approached its mission to decarbonise maritime travel with 'the ability to save enough energy to justify the cost of the technology'. "The reality of the world is that we can't increase costs to decarbonise in the current environment. It's not going to happen," he said. This means both firms expect no increase in Red Funnel passenger fares when the service kicks off next year. On ticket prices, Ms Collins said: "Iain was very clear that his vision for this is that it's cost-neutral to put in the technology, and that's where we expect it to be. "So from a ticket price perspective, we're not going to put ticket prices up as a result of having the Artemis vessels in." She also said the new boat will help the firm cut service times back to pre-pandemic from 35 minutes to 30 minutes so they can better match up the journey with train times and improve the service's reliability. Red Funnel hopes to expand its fleet of electric foiling vehicles and introduce hybrid vehicle ferries but Ms Collins said the grid infrastructure remains a bottleneck to scaling their green ambitions. In the meantime, the firm has been calling for the Government to exempt lifeline services from the planned UK Emissions Trading Scheme, which will put a cap on the amount of carbon firms can emit while allowing them to buy more allowances to cover their excess. "I think we need to be very careful," she said. "I think that imposing charges on lifeline services when there's no alternative is wrong. "I think we need to incentivise us all to change but we cannot be responsible for putting in billions of pounds of infrastructure upgrades. "We have to be careful it doesn't just become a tax on people because it all comes back to the consumer."
The Independent
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Ferry firm hails ‘new era' of flying electric boats in UK
The boss of a Solent ferry company has hailed a 'new era' of flying high-speed electric ferries in the UK. Red Funnel, which runs passenger and vehicle services between Southampton and Cowes, Isle of Wight, has partnered with Belfast-based firm Artemis Technologies to launch a zero-emissions foiling vessel next year. The 150-passenger ferry, which costs between £10-12 million to build, uses advanced hydrofoil technology and modularised battery systems. The hull lifts out above the water, which significantly reduces drag and wake so that the electric boat can travel longer distances at speed. The Red Funnel ferry will be plugged in for a quick charge each time it berths and is expected to save up to 3,700 tonnes of carbon emissions each year compared with conventional high-speed ferries. Its launch in 2026 will follow that of two others built by Artemis Technologies, which are expected to launch in Belfast and Orkney later this year. Iain Percy, Olympic sailing gold medallist and chief executive of Artemis Technologies, said the EF-24 Passenger is the first-ever electric foiling boat of this size in the world with permission to run commercial services. 'The problem with electric ferries is they really can't go far or fast,' he said, with challenges including drag and huge amounts of energy from the grid to the batteries that need to be carried on board. 'The flying part here – the foil – it's the unlocker to do commercially viable range and speed.' Fran Collins, Red Funnel's chief executive, said: 'This isn't just a new vessel. It's the beginning of a new era – defined by zero-emission technology, a smoother passenger experience, and a shared ambition to decarbonise ferry travel.' Speaking to a stakeholder audience at the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes, Ms Collins said the partnership with Artemis allowed Red Funnel to take a 'tangible' step in its decarbonisation journey with little risk. 'I was blown away by the technology and blown away by the work and the research that had gone into this,' she said. The cost of the ferry is an uplift of around 30% compared with conventional ferries but the firm will save an estimated £1 million a year on running costs, with a boat shelf-life of around 25 years, according to Mr Percy. The Olympic sailor said the firm approached its mission to decarbonise maritime travel with 'the ability to save enough energy to justify the cost of the technology'. 'The reality of the world is that we can't increase costs to decarbonise in the current environment. It's not going to happen,' he said. This means both firms expect no increase in Red Funnel passenger fares when the service kicks off next year. On ticket prices, Ms Collins said: 'Iain was very clear that his vision for this is that it's cost-neutral to put in the technology, and that's where we expect it to be. 'So from a ticket price perspective, we're not going to put ticket prices up as a result of having the Artemis vessels in.' She also said the new boat will help the firm cut service times back to pre-pandemic from 35 minutes to 30 minutes so they can better match up the journey with train times and improve the service's reliability. Red Funnel hopes to expand its fleet of electric foiling vehicles and introduce hybrid vehicle ferries but Ms Collins said the grid infrastructure remains a bottleneck to scaling their green ambitions. In the meantime, the firm has been calling for the Government to exempt lifeline services from the planned UK Emissions Trading Scheme, which will put a cap on the amount of carbon firms can emit while allowing them to buy more allowances to cover their excess. 'I think we need to be very careful,' she said. 'I think that imposing charges on lifeline services when there's no alternative is wrong. 'I think we need to incentivise us all to change but we cannot be responsible for putting in billions of pounds of infrastructure upgrades. 'We have to be careful it doesn't just become a tax on people because it all comes back to the consumer.'
