Demonstration of 12pax fully-electric hydrofoiling Crew Transfer Vessel

Crew Transfer Vessels (CTVs) are used daily in the offshore wind sector to transport technicians to undertake operation and maintenance (O&M) activities at windfarms. During operations they push against a wind turbine using a power-hungry "bollard push manoeuvre", drawing up to 80% of peak engine power for prolonged periods.

Analysis predicts peak CTV demand of 524 vessels in Europe by 2035, with 30% of the current fleet below 20m. A typical operational day for a vessel this size could consume 600-litres of fuel. Operating for 275 days annually, with a traditional fossil fuel solution, this would generate 82,000tCO2e across UK and EU.

The main challenge with the decarbonisation of high-speed vessels is the lack of viable range. Water is a very dense fluid requiring a lot of energy to propel a boat through water. The average range needed for daily CTV operations is greater than technically possible with standard vessels converted to pure battery or fuel cell operation.

Over the last four years, Artemis Technologies has been developing a disruptive electric propulsion system, the Artemis-eFoiler. The innovation includes a high power-density electric drivetrain into an autonomously controlled hydrofoil, combining technologies from motorsport, yacht racing, and the aerospace sector. As an Artemis-eFoiler propelled vessel accelerates, the hydrofoils lift the hull up and out of the water, greatly reducing the wetted area and therefore drag.

In 2021, Artemis launched the world's first 100% electric foiling workboat. Ongoing testing of the 11.5m prototype against its gasoline sistership, has proved that the vessel can provide significant improvements in energy efficiency (up to 90%) and ride comfort whilst generating zero GHG emissions.

Analysis undertaken by Artemis investigated the viability of using a 12m electric foiling CTV to replace larger diesel CTVs operating at near shore wind farms. However, a major market barrier has been raised, with concerns regarding whether a foiling electric CTV could transit to the wind farm and safely transfer technicians onto turbines in up to 1.5m significant wave height, a market wide CTV operational requirement.

Further detailed study has identified that directional thrust is a critical requirement for ensuring the challenging bollard-push manoeuvre can be completed effectively and safely. Therefore, during this project Artemis will evolve it’s existing 12m product offering from including a single, fixed propulsion pod to being able to accommodate a second, directional propulsion pod.

This will ensure the 12m electric foiling CTV is capable & suitable for the CTV market and maximises the opportunity & applications for Artemis’ 12m vessels.

In order to drive market uptake of the eFoiler technology in the offshore wind sector, this barrier needs to be addressed through a real-world demonstration. Consequently, the vision of this demonstration project is to develop, test and deploy a 12m 100% electric foiling CTV, "eFoiler Small-CTV" and shore-based charging infrastructure, to deliver zero emission crew transfer operations at Ørsted's Barrow wind farm.

Initially the vessel will be delivered with the single propulsion configuration to complete basic training, trials, and demonstrations, and then it will be retrofitted with Artemis’ newly developed dual propulsion system allowing the vessel then to undertake ‘full’ trials & demonstrations.