The Water Witch Team are delighted to announce that our Versi-Cat multipurpose all-electric vessel has been selected as a Finalist for The Gustave Trouvé Awards for Excellence in Electric Boats and Boating an International Award run by electric boat website Plugboats.com.

The awards were created to recognise the inventors, designers, manufacturers, entrepreneurs and visionaries who are making advances every day to develop technologies and designs to reduce reliance on fossil fuel for marine propulsion.

They are named to honour Gustave Trouvé, a prolific French inventor with over 75 patents to his name, who was awarded the Légion d’Honneur in 1882. Among his innovations was the world’s first outboard boat motor, which he devised so that he could detach the motor from his prototype electric boat ‘Le Teléphone’ and take it home to work on in his Paris apartment.

While M. Trouvé’s invention predates the 1887 patent of the internal combustion engine, and electric boats have been available since the early 20th century, it is not until recently that they have entered the mainstream marine market.

‘The Gussies’, as the awards are known in the electric boat world, are the only international boating awards that focus exclusively on electric boats and boating.

The Finalists were chosen by a 19 person Judging Panel made up of experts from electric boating associations around the world as well as the winners from the first two Gussies Awards in 2020 and 2021.

Jackie Caddick, Director at Water Witch, comments: “Our zero-emission all-electric Versi-Cat workboats are truly multi-purpose and are sustainably built from marine grade aluminium with up to 70% recycled content and most importantly 100% recyclable.   We are working hard to develop clean, quiet and affordable solutions and are delighted to be featured as one of the World’s best electric boats!  Using the weight saving advantages of aluminium construction, we are around 30% lighter than a plastic fibreglass equivalent, and that means we require a relatively low power range of 12kW without reducing performance.

The motor is powered by the most up to date and safest ‘intelligent’ Power48 lithium batteries on the market. The vessel’s electric controls feature a built-in GPS, an on-board computer and display for information such as speed and input power, state of charge and remaining range, and even an advance communication system that links user’s Bluetooth and App technology to the complete system.

Unlike the distinctive hum heard from traditional diesel boats, the Versi-Cat is almost silent as it glides through the water.

The Versi-Cat can be configured to meet various tasks with a unique removable central pod system.  The pods can be used for litter and debris collection, cargo handling and a variety of other tasks.  With the lifting frame and electric windlass, the vessel is also equipped to handle buoy and other installation maintenance, towing, personnel transport, rescue missions, as well as the possibility to assist in oil spill operations.  A customized road trailer was also supplied to allow the vessel to be easily deployed to different sites.

Thank You to all of the Judges.

To vote for the Water Witch Versi-Cat under the Workboat category visit the Plugboats website.

https://plugboats.com/vote-2022-gussies-electric-boat-awards/#work

Editor Notes

Water Witch are leading designers in multi-purpose workboats for waterway maintenance and clean up duties.  The Company was founded in 1966 and is family owned, and now into its 4^th generation.

Electric propulsion is advancing fast, and by concentrating on building 100% electric systems (not just the motor but all on-board equipment) and from environmentally friendly, sustainable materials, we are able to offer a unique design that is a world first.

Find out more about Water Witch

http://www.waterwitch.com

For further information contact Jackie Caddick, Director sales@waterwitch.com – +44 (0)151 207 4874

#TheGussies

#ElectricBoatAwards

#BritishMarine

#EBoat

#Emobility

#Versi-Cat

#WaterWitch

#PlugBoats

New All-Electric Versi-Cat Trash Skimmer Boat for the Port of Brussels 

Philippe Herman- Harbour Master Port of Brussels

The Port of Brussels has recently taken delivery of a Water Witch all-electric litter collection vessel called ‘Damona’ in an effort to combat floating trash.  It was launched on June 2, in the presence of the Brussels Minister Alain Maron, in charge of the Environment and the Port of Brussels, and Philippe Herman, Harbour Master of the Port of Brussels. ‘Damona’ will criss cross the 14 kilometers of the canal in the Brussels-Capital Region in search of waste floating on the waterway. It is the first electric and zero-emission boat acquired by the Port of Brussels. Each year, between 200 and 250 m3 of ocean bound plastics and debris are recovered by the Port’s waste collection service.

The name ‘Damona’ which is a homage to the Gallic Godess of springs and rivers was chosen by the teams of the harbor master’s office of the Port of Brussels, who will use the boat on a daily basis. The vessel was built by British company Water Witch, based in Liverpool, after a call for tenders launched by the Port of Brussels in 2021.

This new, emission free boat reinforces the ability of the Port of Brussels to improve the cleanliness of the 80 ha of water body that represent the 14 km of canal in the Brussels-Capital Region.

At present, the cleaning teams go out almost every day and single-use plastic is the top contributor.  The majority of marine litter collected is plastic products such a beverage bottles, plastic bags, food wrappers, cups and trays.  In addition, the crews fish out larger items such as bicycles, mattresses, and dumped waste on the banks.   For Brussels Minister Alain Maron, “cleanliness is a common good. It is essential for our quality of life and the quality of our environment. The canal being the lowest point of our Region and also a gigantic storm basin, it collects a good part of the waste generated by urban life, which must be collected regularly so that it does not flow into the sea”, he comments.The 8.0m Electric aluminium VersiCat trash skimmer is sustainably built from up to 75% recycled content and fully recyclable at the end of it’s life.  She is equipped with a 12kw Cruise 12 Torqeedo motor, allowing her to glide silently across the waters at the 7 knots required, and the Power 48 Lithium batteries are the most up to date and safest on the market. The vessel’s electric controls feature a built-in GPS, an on-board computer and display for information such as speed and input power, state of charge and remaining range, and even an advance communication system that links user’s Bluetooth and App technology to the complete system.  Jackie Caddick, Director of Water Witch, says there has been a huge increase interest for electric vessels, with some existing owners even looking to upgrade their current vessels. “We’ve kept with the outboard configuration to make installation quick and cost effective, and maintaining the ability to keep our hull configurations to a standard design, which reduces manufacturing time and costs. With over 95 of these vessels currently in service world-wide, we expect to see an increasing demand for the zero-emission option with clients looking to improve their carbon footprint.”

Electric propulsion is advancing fast, and by concentrating on building 100% electric systems (not just the motor but all on-board equipment) and from environmentally friendly, sustainable materials, we are able to offer a unique design that is a world first.The Port of Brussels, a regional company, manages 14 kilometers of waterways and 6 kilometers of useful quays in the Brussels region. The Brussels port area represents 107 hectares of usable area, where nearly two hundred companies are located. In 2021, 7.1 million tonnes were transported by waterway, i.e. the equivalent of 664,000 trucks. For several years the Port of Brussels have been promoting awareness campaigns to help make the population responsible for public cleanliness in the vicinity of the canal.

Ends

Contact – Jackie Caddick +44 (0)151 207 4874 or info@waterwitch.com

www.waterwitch.com

11.07.2022

Profile in Sustainability: UK Boatbuilder Pioneers New Technologies to Clean Up the World’s Waterways

Water Witch has been building boats at its Liverpool yard since 1966. The boatbuilder is well known for its innovative, cost-effective and efficient aluminium workboats designed to scoop up and remove litter in harbours and waterways.

The fourth-generation family-owned shipyard has achieved acclaim for its Versi-Cat series of twin-hull aluminium skimmers, which are designed to remove and dispose of litter, debris, plastics and aquatic vegetation floating on the water or semi-submerged beneath the surface. Over 200 of these specialised vessels have been deployed around the globe. They have removed over two million tonnes of marine debris from the world’s waterways.

Jackie Caddick, Water Witch Director explained, “Over 90 per cent of marine debris reaches the ocean from rivers. By reducing the flow of plastics and waste in our inland waterways, rivers and estuaries, we can really make a huge difference.”

Embracing Electromobility

Caddick reports that Water Witch’s customers around the world are increasingly requesting electric propulsion to meet zero-emission and sustainability targets. “Clients are looking towards green technology to support their water and waste management services, reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and create a better environment for their own stakeholders,” she said.

Since 2020, Water Witch has been working closely with Torqeedo to create an efficient electric power package for quiet, emission-free and efficient operation. The company is now offering a fully electric Torqeedo propulsion option for new boats as well as an electric retrofit package for existing combustion-powered Versi-Cats. Operators of the electric boats are achieving dramatic reductions in running costs with no fossil fuel usage and lower maintenance requirements.

The standard Torqeedo propulsion package on the Versi-Cat vessels consists of a Cruise electric outboard with two Power 48 intelligent lithium-ion batteries weighing just 36 kg each. A cockpit control panel gives the operator a view of system status, including estimated range at different speeds.

Multi-Missions with Zero Emissions

The Versi-Cat design is designed to meet requirements for a variety of on-the-water jobs in addition to litter pickup. Last year, for instance, Water Witch delivered a Torqeedo-powered multi-mission electric workboat to the Loch Lomond National Park Authority as a step toward the goal of achieving net-zero emissions on the iconic Scottish lake’s waters by 2030.

The new 8.0-meter all-aluminium boat is powered by a fully integrated Torqeedo electric propulsion package, consisting of a transom-mounted Cruise 10.0 electric outboard with four Power 48 lithium batteries and a charging system. The electronic controls include a built-in GPS and onboard computer, providing a visual display of information such as speed, input power, state of charge and remaining range at the current speed. The boat can operate for six to eight hours between recharges.

The 100% electric boat, sustainably built from up to 75 per cent recycled content with 100 per cent recyclable aluminium hulls, is believed to be the first of its kind in the United Kingdom. It will be used to maintain hazard buoys and perform other maintenance missions on the lake.

“Our Mission Zero route map is bold and ambitious, and that is exactly what is needed in the face of the climate crisis we are facing,” said Charlotte Wallace, climate action manager for the Loch Lomond Park Authority. “Emissions reduction is our top priority.”

Versi-Cat are designed to remove and dispose of litter, debris, plastics on the water or semi-submerged beneath the surface.

Next Up: Autonomous and Hydrogen Solutions

Water Witch isn’t stopping with batteries and electric drives.  The company recently collaborated with Ecomotus to upgrade a 14-tonne surface dredger in Glasgow, Scotland, with a unique electrolyser system, called EcoPro, for producing catalytic hydrogen to enhance the efficiency of the boat’s legacy diesel engine.

The vessel was moored on the River Clyde waterfront during last year’s UN Climate Change Conference, where delegates from all over the world could witness the clean, green pollution control vessel firsthand.

Ecomotus Director Jason Munro observed that the EcoPro technology is a vital transition between fossil fuels and a hydrogen/electric economy.

In February, Water Witch announced a partnership with Marine AI Ltd, a leading software engineering firm, to develop a new generation of autonomous electric-powered vessels. The companies will modify the proven Versi-Cat design to run autonomously under the control of Marine AI’s GUARDIAN artificial intelligence (AI) and decision-making software solution.

The new, highly integrated vessels will be fully autonomous, smaller and lighter. The Versi-Cats’ electric propulsion systems will include thrusters to increase versatility, manoeuvrability and portability whilst reducing operating costs.

GUARDIAN’s advanced data analytics will enable full automation of the process and will allow marine litter and ocean plastic retrieval to be optimised. The detailed data captured and processed by GUARDIAN will give better insights into the location and predicted movements of plastics in the marine environment, the variations and density of these hotspots and the characteristics of the litter. The AI technology will use this monitoring, modelling and machine learning capability to increase the recovery capacity, endurance and cost-efficiency of the cleanup process.

“Water Witch is a truly pioneering boatbuilder with a 50-plus-year tradition of innovation in harnessing new emerging technologies to clean up the world’s waterways and oceans,” said Tommi Salonen, senior vice president of sales for Torqeedo GmbH. “Their engineering teams are leading the way with new vessel designs that effectively reduce litter and plastic pollution with zero noise, zero fossil fuel usage and zero emissions into the atmosphere.”

“With collaboration partners like Torqeedo, Ecomotus and Marine AI, we are confident that our next-generation trash skimmers will provide a proven and innovative solution to achieve cleaner waters,” Caddick said.

She sums it up succinctly: “It just makes good sense that a boat working to clean up pollution should not add to the problem be causing more pollution of the air and water.”

Torqeedo:  https://www.torqeedo.com/en/news-and-press/blog/blog-2022-6-3.html

Water Witch, pioneering manufacturer of marine litter collection workboats, announces partnership with Marine AI to develop next generation autonomous vessels.

Water Witch builds innovative, cost effective and efficient vessels to help clean up marine environments. Over 200 of their debris collection and trash retrieval workboats are operating around the world to combat the growing tide of plastics in our seas. Water Witch’s next generation marine litter vessels will be controlled by GUARDIAN, Marine AI’s autonomous software solution.

The exciting combination of Water Witch’s proven Versi-Cat Trash Skimmer design and Marine AI’s GUARDIAN, will deliver a truly unique capability.  The new vessels will be fully autonomous, smaller and lighter, and will be fitted with thrusters: these modifications will increase versatility, manoeuvrability and portability whilst reducing operating costs.  The development represents a major advancement in the cost efficiency of retrieving plastic and the new boats will have sufficient recovery capacity for most applications.

GUARDIAN’s advanced data analytics will enable full automation of the process and will allow marine litter and ocean plastic retrieval to be optimised.  The detailed data captured and processed by GUARDIAN will give better insights into the location and predicted movements of plastics in the marine environment, the variations and density of these hotspots, and the characteristics of the litter.  The AI technology will use this monitoring, modelling and machine learning capability to increase the recovery capacity, endurance and the cost-efficiency of the cleanup process.

The key features of the Water Witch’s next generation vessel are:

• Electric propulsion for zero emission and zero pollution operation
• GUARDIAN Vision will provide human-in-the-loop object detection and classification, with the ability to increase AI functionality up to a COLREG-compliant level control system by utilising the Guardian AUTONOMY software suite.
• Built from environmentally friendly, sustainable materials.  Marine grade aluminium: 70% recycled content and completely recyclable at the end of its working life.
• High recovery capacity and efficient system for collecting all types of marine litter, algae and vegetation.
• Robust design which can be scaled up
• The technology can be refitted to existing Water Witch Trash Skimmers

Matthew Ratsey, MD of Marine AI, stated, “The increasing presence of marine litter, particularly plastics, in our oceans is one of the biggest challenges of our time.  We are delighted to partner with Water Witch to assist them reduce the global marine litter problem.”

Jackie Caddick, Director of Liverpool Waterwitch Marine & Engineering Co. Ltd, explained that “Over 90% of marine debris reaches the ocean from rivers. By reducing the flow of plastics and waste in our inland waterways, rivers, and estuaries, we can really make a huge difference.  GUARDIAN will significantly enhance Water Witch’s capability: the new autonomous vessels will be able to collect, monitor and model marine plastic occurrence, behaviour and flow paths.  We are confident that the next generation Trash Skimmers will provide a proven and innovative solution to achieve cleaner waters.”

Further information:

Sally Dale, Sales & Marketing, Marine AI

Tel: +44 (0) 1752 938 270

Notes to Editors:

Marine AI is a software engineering firm specialising in edge-based artificial intelligence software. Our aim is to deliver sensor-driven cognitive artificial intelligence to enhance maritime capabilities, on or below, the water.

www.marineai.co.uk

Water Witch are world-leaders in the design of workboats for waterway clean up and maintenance roles and is a 4^th generation family run business with over 55 years’ experience and over 200 craft in service.  We are located in the UK and to date, our vessels have removed over 2 million tonnes of marine debris.

www.waterwitch.com

Water Witch Workboats Working towards Emission Reduction Solutions using Hydrogen

As delegates from across the world gather in Glasgow for the United Nations COP26 climate summit, they need only look over the River Clyde to see how the world is changing.

COP26 hosts, Glasgow City Council, have made significant steps towards their ambitious goal of reducing their environmental impact and improving air quality for all by upgrading their Water Witch Surface Dredger ‘St Mungo’ with the latest hydrogen catalytic technology.

Normally moored outside the COP26 venue, the 14-tonne vessel has worked on the River Clyde for the past 19 years removing debris and pollution from the City’s River.  The vessel has been retro fitted with a unique electrolyser system for producing catalytic hydrogen which offers immediate reductions in fossil fuel consumption and harmful air pollution.  This system reduces diesel particulates, NOx, and CO2 emissions by improving the quality of the combustion process, and by extending the efficiency of the engine, reducing the amount of fuel being consumed.  Emissions are reduced by up to 85%.

The ‘EcoPro’ is a RINA Type Approved, patented standalone catalytic hydrogen system designed to immediately reduce the vessel’s engine pollution without any invasive modifications being required.  Supplying a controlled quantity of pure hydrogen-on-demand to give a more complete fuel burn during combustion, it is neatly installed next to the vessel’s main Perkins Sabre 6-cylinder 185hp 160 kwh diesel engine. Hydrogen is produced from its own electronic system whilst the engine is running and automatically ceases when the engine is switched off.

The system has worked exceptionally well since installation earlier this month and Glasgow City Council will have the perfect opportunity to showcase their cleaner, greener, pollution control vessel to Climate Change Delegates at the Summit.

Jackie Caddick, Director at Water Witch says ‘we have been committed to improving the carbon footprint of our vessels and working towards zero emissions – with MARPOL Tier 3 and 2050 compliance fast approaching we have been concerned as a builder that engine manufactures may not be able to meet the stringent emission standards.  The EcoPro will allow us to directly reduce the diesel particulates, NOx and CO2 emissions of our larger vessels and offers an affordable and approved solution for both new builds and existing Water Witch boats”.

Developed by Ecomotus, the EcoPro technology is a vital transition between fossil fuels and a hydrogen/electric economy.  Jason Munro, Director says:

“We are all aware that the marine industry needs to change away from fossil fuels and towards sustainable power to progressively reduce the greenhouse gases, harmful emissions and particulates produced.  This standalone system is designed to work in harmony with existing combustion engines and reduces the operator’s carbon footprint”.

Ecomotus, based in South Devon, were awarded an Innovate UK grant for R&D testing and trials, enabling them to secure both RINA Type Approval and Maritime and Coastguard (MCA) accreditation.

Find out more about Water Witch

http://www.waterwitch.com

Find out more about Ecomotus

http://www.ecomotus.co.uk

Editor Notes

Water Witch are leading designers in the design and build of multi-purpose workboats for waterway maintenance and clean up duties.  The Company was founded in 1966 and is family owned, and now into its 4^th generation, with vessels operating around the world.

For further information contact Jackie Caddick, Director sales@waterwitch.com – +44 (0)151 207 4874

#emissions

#net-zero

#zero-emissions

#COP26

#climatechange

#carbonfootprint

#CO2 emissions

#NOx emissions

#hydrogen

#hydrogentransport