The world’s first commercially viable fully electric foiling workboat range, developed by Belfast’s Artemis Technologies, was launched on June 9.
Artemis Technologies’ zero-emission vessels are powered by a 100% electric eFoiler system making them the greenest workboats on the planet. The system lifts the boat’s hull out of the water, enabling the ship to fly over the sea and subsequently minimising wake and noise pollution, resulting in a comfortable, quiet ride.
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The range, which represents a £12m investment in R&D includes an 11.5m multi-purpose workboat and 12m crew transfer vessel with a 24m crew transfer vessel and a 150-passenger fast ferry also under development.
This new technology will assist the decarbonisation of maritime and provide revolutionary high-speed, zero-emission transport for the offshore servicing and passenger transport sectors.
In March, the UK government announced a refreshed National Shipbuilding Strategy, with the stated aim of revitalising UK shipbuilding. Artemis Technologies’ launch follows successful testing of the “Pioneer of Belfast” prototype.
Dr Iain Percy OBE, double Olympic sailing gold medallist and chief executive of Artemis Technologies, said:
We want to see this upward trajectory continue but with a stronger focus on decarbonisation which is why we’ve launched today the next evolution of cleaner, greener vessels for our waters
The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) has also analyzed the major impact the industry makes on Britain’s economy. In 2019, maritime contributed £116bn in total turnover to the UK economy, 35% higher than 2010. For every £1 of turnover generated directly by the sector, a further £1.09 was generated indirectly across the supply chain, underscoring the far-reaching impact of an industry that carries 95% of Britain’s global trade.
The sector’s direct turnover stood at £55bn in 2019, which outstrips the economic contribution of rail and aviation combined, and puts the industry ahead of road transport. And in 2019 UK maritime supported £48.9billion in GVA, an increase of 39% in 2010.
According to the CEBR, ambitious investments like Artemis Technologies’ electric foiling workboat, and a quick recovery in global transport patterns, will lead to growth exceeding pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2022. Between 2021-2025, the CEBR predicts UK maritime will grow by 16%.
CEBR also outlines UK maritime’s employment impact, supporting 1,064,000 jobs in 2019. This represents an 18% increase on 2010, outpacing the rise in UK employment of 13% over the same period. These are highly productive jobs, adding 45% more value than the UK average, and well paid, with average remuneration 30% higher than the UK benchmark.
Shipbuilding is a vital part of the UK’s industrial identity, and the maritime sector does a fantastic job in helping to grow our economy and supporting high-quality jobs across the country
added Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP, Secretary of State for International Trade.
This follows the launch of Solent’s freeport on 8th June, one of eight zones in England where companies importing and exporting will benefit from simplified customs, tax, and planning rules. The move is expected to create 32,000 across the Solent over the next 5-10 years.
UK Maritime is also found to be a valuable contributor to the Exchequer, having directly generated £5.2 billion in tax revenues for the UK in 2019, 36% higher than the £3.8 billion in 2010. Companies like Artemis Technologies, in the marine engineering and science space, provided 42% of the total sectoral tax revenues.