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.

Led by Artemis Technologies and building on the work of the emerging Belfast Maritime Consortium cluster as a global centre of excellence for zero-emission maritime technology, this collaborative R&D project brings together partners from across the whole supply chain to accelerate the detailed design and engineering of a 24m electric foiling Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV), the 'eFoiler-CTV', building towards deployment and real-world demonstration of the eFoiler-CTV by March 2025\. Today, there are over 370 high-speed CTVs operating in UK and European waters. On average, CTVs are operational for 250 days a year, burning 1,500 litres of diesel each day, each emitting an incredible 1,278 tonnes CO2e each year. With an estimated 1,687 CTVs required to be built by 2050, to service European O&M market growth, emissions will increase significantly in a 'business as usual' scenario. Therefore, it is imperative that a disruptive solution to decarbonise CTV operations is brought to market quickly. The main challenge with the decarbonisation of high-speed vessels is the lack of viable range. Water is a very dense fluid (830 times denser than air), so it requires a lot of energy to propel a boat through the water. The average range required for daily CTV operations is far greater than technically possible with standard vessels converted to battery or fuel cell operation. Over the last three years, Artemis Technologies has been developing a disruptive electric propulsion system, the 'Artemis-eFoiler'. The innovation integrates a high-power density electric drivetrain into an autonomously controlled hydrofoil, combining technologies from the automotive, yacht racing, and aerospace sectors. 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. Providing the double benefit of both increased speed and fuel efficiency. In CMDC Round 1 eFoiler-CTV Feasibility study, the project partners created a detailed business plan showing cost for adoption of the eFoiler-CTV technology compared to a Diesel FastCat CTV and an electric non-foiling alternative. It was concluded that an eFoiler-CTV is not only technically feasible, but offers significant environmental benefits, as well as enhanced performance, and an increase in the typical CTV operating window. The eFoiler-CTV offers a return on investment for charter that is predominantly superior to fossil fuel alternatives and delivers superior range and performance to alternative zero emission solutions due to the increased drivetrain efficiency, and hydrodynamic benefits of foiling.

The last 10 years have seen unprecedented growth in the contribution of offshore wind power to the UK's energy needs. This growth is set to accelerate over the next decade, with a target to increase UK Offshore Wind capacity from 10GW today, to 50GW by 2030\. Today, there are over 90 high-speed Crew Transfer Vessels (CTVs) operating in UK waters, and a further 280 in the EU. On average, CTVs are operational for 250 days a year, burning 1,500 litres of diesel each day, resulting in a total of 472,850 tonnes CO2 of emissions across UK and EU each year. With an estimated 1,687 CTV vessels required to be built by 2050, to service the forecasted exponential growth in the UK and European offshore wind sectors, emissions are set to increase significantly in a 'business as usual' scenario. Therefore, it is imperative that a disruptive solution to decarbonise CTV operations is brought to market quickly. Led by Artemis Technologies and building on the work of the emerging Belfast Maritime Consortium cluster as a global centre of excellence for zero-emission maritime technology, this project brings together partners from across the whole supply chain to investigate the feasibility of the Artemis eFoiler(tm)electric propulsion system as a transformative solution to decarbonise global CTV operations. **Key Objectives:** * Validate the technical and environmental benefits of the Artemis eFoiler(tm) electric propulsion system and correlation with Digital Twin simulations; * Develop a Digital Twin of an optimised Artemis eFoiler(tm) electric propulsion system and vessel platform (eFoiler-CTV); * Full mission simulation of the eFoiler-CTV undertaking crew transfer operations in the Artemis Technologies simulator; * Investigate the potential reduction of lifecycle emissions of the solution and any barriers to future adoption; and * Create a regulatory roadmap for the eFoiler-CTV and plan for large-scale demonstration of the solution. Supporting the UK's Clean Maritime Plan, the results of this project will turbocharge the UK priorities of 'building back better, supporting green jobs, and accelerating our path to net zero'. The eFoiler-CTV has the potential to revitalise our ports and coastal communities, demonstrate the strength of the UK maritime sector, and its capability to deliver on the government's ambitious Net Zero target.

This project will factory test a prototype electric charging point for an offshore wind turbine, with subsequent installation, testing and demonstration of its use in real-world field trials charging a battery on a crew transfer vessel (CTV). Offshore wind's ability to provide clean, green power will provide the cornerstone of the UK's 'net-zero' target. Despite emissions from wind power being far lower than Fossil Fuels there is a drive within the industry to make this a truly zero-emissions source of electricity. CTVs are the most common vessel used in the operations and maintenance of Offshore Wind Farms and they typically burn Marine Gasoil(MGO), a fuel similar to diesel with its associated high emissions. Battery electric CTVs (eCTVs) have the potential to replace MGO for zero-emission operations but as with the early days of electric cars, battery energy density mean that they have a limited range. At present, charging infrastructure is only available in port which means that only a small portion of turbines are practically accessible by eCTVs. Placing a charging point in 'the field' will mean that eCTVs will be able to operate with zero-emission on turbines considerably further from shore. This project will design, build, and test an electric charge point situated on a wind turbine. This approach will access the infrastructure already in place (turbine platform, electrical cables) to provide renewable electricity to vessels. As an eCTV 'docks' with the turbine a cable reel will lower down an electrical charge connection which will plug in to the vessel and charge a battery on-board. Although the technology necessary for this is relatively mature this has yet to be done before and so this project will need to develop standards, working practices and procedures in order to safely carry this out at sea. This project is led by the highly skilled marine electrical engineers of UK based MJR Power and automation who will develop a high value product that can be installed across the ever-growing number of wind farms both in UK waters and across the world. Vessel operator tidal transit, vessel designer Artemis technologies, wind farm operator Xceco, and the offshore renewables experts at OREcatapult will be partners on this project, providing the skills, expertise, and vessels necessary to carry out the trials. All partners are committed to decarbonisation and this project will place them at the forefront of innovation in this field.