‘Flying above the waves': Victoria demo offers glimpse of electric passenger ferry future

Global News

10 hours ago

They look like something out of a science fiction film.
Sleek, white, and appearing to hover above the surface of the water, a Belfast-built hydrofoil put on a show outside of Victoria on Monday.
And if things play out the right way, a larger version of the 12-person all-electric water taxi could one day be plying the waters of British Columbia.
'This has the potential to be zero-emission, low wake, ultra quiet and use two-thirds less fuel than any comparable technology, and that means this could be a game changer for the number of routes we provide to British Columbians,' said Mark Collins, CEO of FRS Clipper.
'There's lots of places in B.C. that can be connected by water, much more efficiently than connected by roads — but we've got to have on-water technology that is cost-effective and sustainable to operate and that's what we think this is.'
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Electric passenger ferry plans for Howe Sound
Monday's demo was hosted by Collins' company, which operates the Victoria-Seattle Clipper, and Greenline Ferries, which hopes to soon launch an electric ferry service connecting downtown Vancouver with Bowen Island and Gibsons. Both are evaluating the technology for possible use in B.C. waters.
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The 12-passenger version of the vessels, which rely on four battery banks, is already in service in the UK, the EU and the Middle East, said David Tyler, co-founder of Artemis Technologies.
A larger version capable of carrying up to 150 people, powered by two dozen batteries, is hitting the water soon, with the first three to deploy in Belfast, southern England and Scotland.
The company has roots in the racing world, a spinoff from Artemis Racing's America's Cup team, building on the same hydrofoil technology that allows the racing vessels to travel at ultra-high speeds.
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The vessels are built on a 'wing' beneath the water that allows the hull to pop above the surface.
'We are flying above the waves,' he explained.
'And because we are reducing the drag and we are using anywhere between 70 and 90 per cent less energy, so it s really a game changer in terms of operational costs.'
The vessels are also quieter than a traditional vessel and offer a more gentle passenger experience, potentially reducing seasickness.
They also produce a much smaller wake, something Tyler said has earned them an exemption to operate at five times Belfast Harbour's five-knot speed limit.
Callum Campbell, CEO of Greenline Ferries, said it was important to get a good look at currently existing all-electric technology.
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Next steps for proposed Howe Sound eclectic passenger ferry
'You can use fewer batteries, you can go further, and you can go faster, so this is the kind of technology that is really important to consider,' he said.
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Collins said the Monday's demo was about assessing whether the technology is sustainable, which would allow the company to build a business case around its use.
He said even the larger version of the hydrofoil is likely still too small for its Victoria route, but wouldn't rule out a future where they operated more than one at a time, or explored other routes.
Greenline, meanwhile, doesn't have a firm launch date for its operations — though it said in February it was hopeful it could be running within two years.
Vancouver City Council and the Vancouver Park Board both recently approved motions aimed at helping the company establish its Vancouver terminal at the Harbour Green dock in Coal Harbour.
But he's bullish about the future of passenger ferries on the South Coast, noting the Nanaimo-Vancouver Hullo ferry route is doing well.
'Anywhere where you can connect the heart of one community to the heart of another, that's an opportunity for a passenger-only ferry,' he said.
'It's really time to redraw the map. We've had this map in B.C. where ferry routes go; it was kind of established in the 1960s. It's really time to add new lines to that map that go beyond what people have when they are driving a car.'