Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) is working with fellow Oxfordshire-based firm, OXIS Energy Ltd, on the production of ‘cleaner, greener energy’, designed for an all-new 40ft electric battery-powered luxury boat.
The craft, from Yachts de Luxe (YdL) of Singapore and designed by Jean Jacques Coste, will be the world’s first ever battery-powered luxury boat to be powered by Lithium Sulfur (Li-S) cell and battery systems technology. The objective is to achieve a range between 70 and 100 nautical miles at cruising speed – setting new standards for range in electric boats.
WAE will be responsible for the state-of-the-art 400 kWh battery system, which comprises ultra-light, high-power/high-energy density Li-S cells – provided by OXIS Energy Ltd – and the battery management system (BMS). The design and manufacture of the cell modules, the BMS and its installation will be carried out by WAE at its dedicated battery facility in Grove. Continue reading “World’s first battery-powered luxury boat using Williams Advanced Engineering tech”
Since 2014 the Club has experienced 17 yacht fire claims. Of these claims, it was established that 10 were directly a result of an electrical fault, and 1 indirectly. These claims have the potential to demand a high quantum, with one such claim currently sitting at just under US$ 3 million. It is not just the financial implications of these incidents as yachts suffering from fire or smoke damage deprive their owner use of their asset. This Podcast mini-series has been created to generate awareness surrounding the causes of yacht electrical fires and provide guidance from industry experts on how these incidents may be avoided.
Shipowners Club would like to thank Captain Purnendu Shorey, Director of Offing Marine & Offshore Consultants for his invaluable contribution to this article. Offing Marine specialises in a range of maritime activities including surveys, towage approvals and casualty investigations.
NTSB issued An accident report has been issues by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on the overturning of lift-boat Kristin Faye while working alongside a platform in the Gulf of Mexico, in September 2019. The report identified the company’s inadequate preload procedure as key cause of the incident.
Transport Malta has published an investigation report on the container fire onboard Filia T while en route to Singapore in November 2019. The report was unable to determine the exact cause of the fire. but has identified either friction or self-heating of the cargo as probable causes.
Following months of complex and forensic investigation, the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) has published its official report on the fire onboard the small passenger vessel Conception in September 2019 off California, which killed 34 people. It has highlighted poor oversight by the company and USCG regulatory issues as key areas of concern which were revealed in a recent preliminary report. There is a long list of recommendations for the USCG to adhere to following this most harrowing accident.
