Trifoiling ferry model being trialled by Chartwell Marine
Chartwell Marine has launched its latest electric foiling high-speed trimaran demonstrator. The vessel has started sea trials on Southampton water. The idea is to gather data on the vessel’s handling, efficiency and performance across various sea and weather conditions, and look for its potential for commercial operations like transforming short coastal, high-traffic passenger routes, such as across the Solent.
Created in collaboration with Solent University and Newcastle Marine Services, the vessel has a lightweight trimaran hull, a fixed main foil, and an actuating foiling rudder that improves control, stability and lift. Chartwell says the design reduces energy consumption and power demand while maintaining speed. The energy-efficient layout also places the batteries in the sponsons, away from passenger areas.
It’s also got a tongue-twister of a name: Foiling Fast Ferry TriFoiler Demonstrator. Try saying that three times at speed.
“We believe that the future of pure-electric commercial vessels lies in innovative, low-drag hull forms, with or without the assistance of foils,” says Andy Page, MD Chartwell Marine. “However, first and foremost, service reliability must be the priority.
“Given that electric power has a lower energy density compared to traditional fuels, minimising energy usage is crucial for achieving optimal results. Finding the balance between efficiency and reliability is key. We are very excited about the TriFoiler concept, which has been made possible through our partnership with Solent University and the support of Innovate UK funding. We look forward to sharing our findings with the industry later this year.”
The build started in September 2024 at Designcraft, a Southampton-based specialist in composite vessel construction. In March last year, Chartwell appointed Christophe Rident as its senior naval architect to support activities in the design and eventual commercialisation of ferries. He joined from BMT, where he developed full-electric and hybrid fast ferry and commercial vessel solutions.
The Foiling Fast Ferry TriFoiler Demonstrator is funded through the UK Shore (Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions) programme, a Department for Transport initiative delivered by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation.
Neale Ryan, head of land and maritime transport at Innovate UK, says: “The TriFoiler project embodies what CMDC [Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition] was created for – demonstrating practical, scalable clean maritime technologies in real-world conditions. These trials advance the industry’s understanding of foiling technology and its potential to reduce emissions, improve operational efficiency and support the decarbonisation of the maritime industry.”
The findings will inform the next stage of development, moving towards a full-scale, 24-metre, 40-passenger foiling ferry capable of speeds up to 28 knots. A £1.86m UK Government grant – awarded under the CMDC round 3 – was used to develop and build the scaled demonstrator vessel.
Chartwell is also engaged in the leisure market with Archipelago Yachts, details of which can be found on its website.
