Skip to main content
European Commission logo
Enterprise Europe Network

UK boat builder of fully electric commercial workboat with shore power station seeks collaboration with vessel operators for a pilot evaluation.

Summary

Profile Type
  • Technology offer
POD Reference
TOGB20240715015
Term of Validity
15 July 2024 - 15 July 2025
Company's Country
  • United Kingdom
Type of partnership
  • Commercial agreement with technical assistance
Targeted Countries
  • All countries
Contact the EEN partner nearest to you for more information.
Find my local partner

General information

Short Summary
A UK commercial boat builder of a fully electric utility vessel and shore power charging station is seeking commercial vessel operator who will monitor and report costs throughout a pilot to provide a full operational assessment of performance and maintenance of this vessel compared to a conventional fossil fuel vessel or hybrid, including analysis of the environmental impact such as noise and and emissions. Collaborations sought on a commercial basis with technical assistance.
Full Description
The UK company is a long standing UK boat builder with over a decade of commercial boat building experience. Founded in 2011 and recently have evolved into a leading builder of steel and aluminium commercial workboats and provider of associated support services. The company is also runs a market leading sustainable shipyard in Scotland and has an established marine facility in the South West of England, delivering innovative solutions and partnerships to meet the future demands of their customers and reduce impact on the environment.

The company is bringing net-zero emission solution to the under 30 metres commercial vessel sector.

They have constructed the UK first fully electric landing utility vessel built to Class (Bureau Veritas) with on shore power storage system (SPSS) to support charging. The vessel range is approx. 100 miles, which can be extended by a further 50 miles with the shore power storage system on board.

The new multi-role work boat features an optimized design with a 120m² deck area and a 60-ton deck load capacity. It incorporates an advanced lithium battery system with zero thermal runaway potential, ensuring minimal disturbance during a module failure, limited to a single cell dissipating only 195Wh without spreading.

The vessel accommodates 2 crew members and 12 passengers, with a removable passenger pod, disabled access, and space for up to 7 vehicles. It can be grounded for beaching and offloading. Protected thrusters are removable while afloat, eliminating the need for drydocking. Deck crane and a bifold ramp with a 24-ton capacity, suitable for loading vehicles up to 60 tons, are included.

It features Roll-on Roll-off capability with an aft folding bulwark and forward bi-folding ramp. The on-shore power system has a 1.2 MWh capacity, providing a 100-mile range with a 50-mile range extender. The vessel has a level deck from stem to stern and 360-degree Azimuthing electrically driven units with propellers in nozzles, enhancing manoeuvrability and reducing propulsion power by 30%. The use of azimuthing pod-drives provides for improved manoeuvrability and increased bollard pull over a conventional diesel shaft drive vessel, while permitting a lower installed power – the perfect base for hybrid vessel development in the future. The propulsion units and vessel systems are designed with double redundancy in mind, so that a single failure won’t prevent the vessel from returning to port under her own power.

Charging options include DC up to 2 x 600kW, AC up to 2 x 200kW, and potential for deck-mounted AC generators. Electrical supplies onboard are 415 and 230Vac, single and three-phase, with a 30kW DOL starting capacity and a 150kW maximum load. A live datalink via Starlink provides shore-side monitoring and support, assisting the crew and allowing performance oversight by the vessel owner/operator.

The vessel will be available from mid-2025.

The UK company is seeking commercial vessel operators wanting to reduce their carbon emissions in vessel operations, who will monitor and report costs throughout a pilot programme to provide a full assessment of the operational performance and maintenance of this electric vessel compared to a conventional fossil fuel vessel or hybrid, including the analysis of the environmental impact such as noise and emissions.
Advantages and Innovations
Key benefits of an electric vessel include:

• Zero emissions – removes noxious odours and fumes
• Further potential of net zero if operator has access to renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, tidal etc
• Reduced operational costs: -
• Reduced maintenance (less moving parts)
• No diesel deliveries/bunkering
• Dramatically reduced pollution risk
• Significantly reduced environmental impact
• Less road miles for support services
• 100% potential to be fossil fuel free
• Can operate in remote locations with limited grid supply, charging from the onshore power storage system.
• Improved crew and passenger experience – less noise, less whole body vibration, less fatigue, no fumes.
• Energy source flexibility can take multiple forms of renewable energy to charge.
Significant reduction in noise of vessel operation with no diesel engine noise and vibration.
Stage of Development
  • Available for demonstration
Sustainable Development Goals
  • Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
  • Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • Goal 13: Climate Action
IPR status
  • Secret know-how

Partner Sought

Expected Role of a Partner
The company is seeking a commercial workboat / ferry / vessel, owner / operator in the marine transport sector.

Possible sector usage cases include:
• Aquaculture
• Inter-island ferry
• Freight service
• Waste management and movement
• Oil company transport
• Ports and harbours
• Marine civil engineering.

Role of the Partner:

• Commit to a multiyear pilot as explained above.
• Allow the UK company to use the partner as a case study with reasonable access to take photographs/video and cite their experience and benefits of the market zero emission vessels.
• Allow them to access the data from the monitoring systems for validation and development of future zero emission vessels.

The UK company will offer:

• Full vessel familiarisation and operational support on handover
• Full service and maintenance support package tailored to customer requirements, including manning for 10-year pilot period, if required.
• Access to finance packages with low or no upfront cost (subject to status) over 10 to 12 years.
• Vessel delivery to site
Type and Size of Partner
  • Big company
  • Other
  • R&D Institution
  • SME 50 - 249
  • SME <=10
  • SME 11-49
Type of partnership
  • Commercial agreement with technical assistance

Dissemination

Technology keywords
  • 02009002 - Hybrid and Electric Vehicles
  • 02009005 - Shipbuilding
Market keywords
  • 09001007 - Other transportation
  • 09004008 - Other manufacturing (not elsewhere classified)
Sector Groups Involved
  • Renewable Energy
  • Maritime Industries and Services
Targeted countries
  • All countries