Victoria yacht designer receiving almost $1M in provincial funding for electric boat project

The Victoria Inner Harbour is shown: July 21, 2020 (CTV News)

A Victoria-based luxury yacht designer will receive nearly $1 million from a provincial government zero-emission vehicle initiative for its work developing an electric catamaran.

Gregory C. Marshall Naval Architect, Ltd., is one of two maritime design companies to receive funding from the CleanBC Go Electric Advanced Research and Commercialization program, the province said in a news release Saturday.

The Victoria-based company will receive $948,000 towards its project, described as "a high-efficiency, low-weight, 40-foot electric utility catamaran" in the provincial statement.

"As a local naval architecture firm, we have received numerous calls from clients interested in electrifying their next vessel," said Gregory Marshall, the company's CEO, in the statement.

"However, electric propulsion remains unproven for a wide variety of maritime applications. Thanks to the opportunity provided by the ARC program, we will be able to develop and demonstrate a high-efficiency, low-weight, zero-emission catamaran designed to take on a wide variety of roles traditionally dominated by internal combustion engines, such as coastal transportation, patrol and eco-tourism activities."

A North Vancouver company, Capilano Maritime Design, will also receive funding through the program. That company is designing "a hydrogen-fuelled dinner cruise boat for use in Vancouver’s harbour," according to the province, and will receive $178,000.

“B.C. is sailing ahead toward a low-carbon technological revolution,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, in the release.

“It’s no longer just about how we travel our roads; our clean-tech know-how is transforming how the world moves people and goods across the water.”

A total of 17 zero-emission transportation projects are receiving more than $8 million in funding through the ARC program.

Other recipients of funding include a Vancouver company designing electric bicycle parts and a Port Coquitlam company repurposing old electric vehicle batteries.

The ARC program has also previously provided $1.6 million toward Harbour Air's efforts to convert its fleet to electric aircraft.

The Victoria-based company tested the world's first all-electric commercial seaplane in 2019.