Latest news with #IainPercy
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.'
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Noatum to acquire fully electric Artemis EF-12 Pilot boat
Noatum Maritime, a division of AD Ports Group's Maritime & Shipping Cluster, has reached an agreement with Artemis Technologies to acquire a fully electric Artemis EF-12 Pilot boat to support sustainable port operations in the UAE. This initiative aligns with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals and the UAE's commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The Artemis EF-12 is designed with advanced battery technology that enables zero-emission propulsion, making it suitable for sustainable operations. The vessel can reach speeds of up to 30kt and maintain a cruising speed of 25kt. It is designed to carry up to four passengers and has a foiling range of 47nm. The incorporation of Artemis' eFoiler technology allows the boat to lift its hull above the water, which reduces drag and optimises energy consumption while producing minimal wake. Artemis Technologies CEO Dr Iain Percy said: 'We are proud to support Noatum Maritime in their continued efforts to bring sustainable maritime solutions to the Middle East. 'The acquisition of the Artemis EF-12 Pilot boat marks a significant milestone in addressing the region's growing demand for high-performance, zero operational emission vessels.' Artemis tested and validated the Artemis EF-12 Pilot simulations using the Artemis EF-12 Workboat, with assistance from the Port of Cork and Cork Pilots in Cork Harbour. The company completed 15 ship contacts with four vessel types, ranging from 90m to 158m. This testing is essential for optimising the Artemis EF-12 Pilot boat for safe pilot operations, according to the company. In February this year, Red Funnel and Artemis entered the construction and delivery phase for their next-generation electric ferry for Isle of Wight services, following the finalisation of initial agreements in July 2024. "Noatum to acquire fully electric Artemis EF-12 Pilot boat" was originally created and published by Ship Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
