The UK-based electric vessel company Artemis has sold a high-tech hydrofoiling workboat to an island resort in Denmark, putting the possibility of all-electric marine transport on display in a luxurious setting.
Vejrø Resort is an island retreat located southwest of Copenhagen and just east of the Great Belt shipping lane, the primary route for merchant traffic in the Baltic. In addition to private stays and hunting excursions, it hosts business conferences. It has its own sailboat harbor for those who like to arrive with their own vessel, along with a diesel passenger vessel for those who do not wish to bring a yacht.
The resort - owned by Saxo Bank CEO Kim Fournais - places a strong emphasis on its natural surroundings and its sustainability, and it wants to go fully carbon-neutral by 2025. That includes its marine transport, too - so it has ordered a fast-foiling electric boat.
Artemis is building a 12-meter, all-electric passenger transfer boat for Vejrø, based on.a serial production model from Artemis' UK plant. It has an automated "flight control" system for its foil, leaving the crew to focus on navigation.
“The delivery of this solution is a major milestone in our journey to become carbon neutral. We are investing significantly in the green transformation of Vejrø, and the acquisition of the Artemis EF-12 Workboat XL demonstrates our commitment to this transition. Transporting guests has traditionally been a major contributor to CO2 emissions, so these types of investments are not only important for Vejrø, but vital in the race against climate change and protecting our environment,” said Jens Ole Ambjerg, CEO of Vejrø Resort. “Our mission at Vejrø, is to lead change with real and meaningful actions."
The boat will be the first vessel of its kind in Denmark, according to Artemis, and will be in service beginning in summer 2024.
Artemis' foiling-boat business has been taking off, and quickly. The company designed a practical electric workboat for customers on the working waterfront, like port authorities and offshore wind farm operators, and it has been booking sales. It is also designing a larger ferry variant, 24 meters in length, and has secured funding from HSBC to support its international-sales ambitions. It says that it has doubled its headcount in a year and is set to keep growing.
"The potential impact of low emission, smooth and fast travel that our eFoiler boats provide should not be underestimated. We hope that our technology will help to transform both the day-to-day operations and environmental impact of our customers, across the globe," said Kiera McSorley, the finance director at Artemis.
