Dialogue and Dodging Logs: Our Trial with the Artemis EF-12 Escape

For ten days in June, we partnered with FRS Clipper on a demonstration of the all-electric Artemis EF-12 Escape, giving communities in British Columbia a glimpse of what’s possible with an all-electric, fast marine vessel.

From June 15 to 25, a unique vessel could be spotted in the coastal waters of BC: the Artemis Technologies EF-12 Escape. We partnered with a like-minded ferry company, FRS Clipper, to bring the vessel all the way from Belfast to BC for demonstrations in various coastal communities.

The Artemis EF-12 is unlike any boat that’s been seen in BC waters before. Powered entirely by electricity and supported by underwater wings called hydrofoils, the vessel “flies” above the water, dramatically reducing drag. The result is a smoother, quieter, and far more efficient ride, which consumes just a fraction of the energy of conventional vessels.

The technology, developed and commercialized by members of the Artemis America’s Cup sailing team, enables zero emissions, low underwater noise to protect marine life, and minimal wake to help safeguard BC’s coastal shorelines.

Dialogue: Our community visits

Over the ten days of the trial, together with partner FRS Clipper we brought the EF-12 Escape to six coastal communities to bring guests on board and have conversations about what a fast, all-electric ferry service could mean to them.

Some points we heard were:

• In Gibsons, community members were buzzing about our future service, which would complement the mainstay of BC Ferries, allowing a faster and more direct connection to downtown Vancouver.

• On Bowen Island, people loved the smooth ride of the EF-12 Escape and were optimistic about a service that offered more travel flexibility.

• In Vancouver, guests hopped on board the vessel at Granville Island, travelled to Bowen Island for lunch on a waterfront patio, and came back in the span of 2.5 hours – something not possible with existing travel routes.

• In Squamish, community members expressed hope for the day when they can sail past the highway gridlock, enjoying the scenery on their way to downtown Vancouver.

• On Salt Spring, a steady stream of residents came down to the dock to look at the boat and ask questions about the technology, envisioning various uses for the community.

Many local leaders joined us on board: Mayor Alto of Victoria, Mayor McNeil-Smith of Sidney, Mayor Sim of Vancouver, Mayor Leonard of Bowen Island, Mayor White of Gibsons, Mayor Henderson of Sechelt, Mayor Hurley of Burnaby, and Mayor Hurford of Squamish. We also thank Vancouver City Councillor Rebecca Bligh, Federal MP Patrick Weiler, Provincial MLA Jeremy Valeriote, the Vancouver Park Board, and so many other community leaders and organizations who came out to ride the vessel, supporting the vision of a cleaner, more connected BC coastal future.

Dispatches: Our media coverage

The media made a strong showing in each community we visited, with journalists aiming to find out why the vessel was so exciting to people in the marine industry, and how it might be put to use in BC. We had the typical interviews on the dock – and in addition, because the vessel was so quiet, several reporters conducted interviews right on board while the vessel was underway. A highlight was the report by Jessica Cheung of CBC, who reported live from the aft deck of the boat on the day we visited Vancouver.

Here are some other highlights of the media coverage:

• CBC's Gregor Craigie had a feature on the morning Vancouver Island radio show

• CTV featured the demo on the national news

• Victoria’s Times Colonist newspaper had a great summary by Les Leyne in its digital and print editions

That’s not to mention the great coverage by CHEK News, Global News, Squamish Chief, Coast Reporter, Victoria News, Today in BC, and Douglas Magazine, and more. As Les Leyne noted in his article, the demonstration offered “an intriguing glimpse of what could be a greener, faster alternative for regional ferry travel.”

Dodging Logs: Our technical trials

Beyond the public demonstrations, the trials also aimed to gather technical data about the vessel – including three made-in-BC technologies that were fitted onto the vessel for testing purposes. Structured trials were undertaken to assess the vessel’s wake performance, underwater radiated noise, maneuverability, and critically, its debris detection system.

Our co-founder Darren, who captained a BC Ferry for many years, arranged for a log specimen to be towed out alongside the EF-12 Escape for the purposes of the trial. Using this log, we tested the performance of three distinct debris detection systems, including a compelling demonstration of Reach Technologies’ Marine Situational Awareness System which includes some novel sensors that overcome the limitations of both visible cameras and radars. We learned that the real-time computer monitors consistently detected the test log when approached under various conditions. While the technology is not yet fully integrated into the vessel’s navigation system, the conclusions were clear: these new technologies can deliver, and it’s time to re-think our marine systems to take advantage of the benefits they provide.

Direction: Our next steps

Let’s be honest, it was a huge thrill for our team to see our logo, alongside the logo of our partner FRS Clipper, on the side of a cutting-edge boat. But these demonstrations were about far more than showing off our name on a boat. They were about opening up new possibilities for how we think about coastal travel in BC. The demonstration gave community leaders, regulators, and others in BC a chance to experience what the future of marine transportation could look like. With this trial, we’ve shifted from asking “what if?” to asking “what’s next?”

Our team is approaching the task we’ve been working on with renewed vigor, knowing that the work we put in today – from ridership modeling to technical feasibility studies, charging assessments, stakeholder engagement, proposals, permitting, and structuring the financial arrangements – all leads toward one clear goal: deployment of a fast, all-electric ferry service. We’re charging ahead as never before.