Foiling workboat takes to the air
Artemis Technologies’ flying workboat Pioneer of Belfast has been launched.
Belfast-based Artemis Technologies recently released the first pictures of its 100% electric, high-speed foiling workboat prototype in testing on Belfast Lough.
The vessel was designed and built to include the production specification drivetrain, battery and flight control components consumers will eventually see in the finished workboat.
The 11.5 metre vessel named Pioneer of Belfast is powered by the Artemis eFoiler® hydrofoil system, which enables the prototype to fly over the water, using significantly less energy than a conventional workboat with high-speed re-charging technology also developed.
The eFoiler® concept uses the foil and foil mast to carry the propulsion, thus minimising the parasitic drag that would be brough to the system by the usual separate drive arrangements.
The prototype is currently undergoing sea trials to verify that its technical capabilities match those from the company’s digital twin simulations, ahead of the launch of Artemis Technologies’ small workboat range at Seawork next month.
The company, which is a spin-off from the Artemis Racing America’s Cup team, has attracted significant UK Government and private investment, and has partnered with Northern Irish organisations on a mission to help deliver a sustainable maritime future for a part of the world with such a rich shipbuilding heritage.
Iain Percy, double Olympic sailing gold medallist and chief executive of Artemis Technologies, said: “It was a truly joyous moment for our dedicated Belfast workforce when the champagne was broken on her bow and Pioneer first took to the water.
“Over the last five years we’ve assembled experts from the worlds of motorsport, aerospace and high-performance yacht racing, who have worked closely with local talent to deliver the first of many such vessels that will leverage Belfast’s rich maritime history and place the city at the centre of green ship-building industry.
“We are measuring energy efficiency, ride comfort, wake creation and of course tracking the amount of fuel used by the sistership at different speeds, across a wide range of weather conditions. Belfast Lough is the perfect testing ground. This like-for-like testing enables us to quantify the various commercial and operational benefits of the Artemis eFoiler® system, as well as the emissions saved by the 100% electric Pioneer of Belfast.”
Artemis Technologies claims that Pioneer of Belfast is the largest electric foiling vessel in the world.
Visit Artemis Technologies at Seawork International 2022 on stand F52.
