e-Ginny blog
Oops - we’re going to miss Seawork
e-Ginny is a world’s first diesel-to-electric CTV retrofit, and as with revolutionary new tech there will always be hiccups along the way.
Due to significant use of first-of-its-kind technologies, such a new generation batteries, electric propulsion and weight-saving equipment, sadly it looks like e-Ginny won’t quite be ready to make an appearance at Seawork in June as originally planned.
We’ve also faced some delays in finding ways to meet regulatory compliance due to her very nature of being a retrofit rather than newbuild as well as 100% electric under Workboat Code 3. For example, we need top-tier compliant and certified fire insulation before we install the batteries, and we’ve certainly been through the wringer finding suitable material which meets the highest standards that e-Ginny deserves – we’re there now but there is a lead time as always!
As a result, the sheer complexity of the undertaking has led to much more extensive overhaul than originally anticipated. However, as we overcome these hurdles, we can’t praise Goodchild Marine enough for their unwavering dedication to the project and the quality of the team’s work on this groundbreaking electrification project.
There’s also light at the end of the tunnel! Over these exciting few months, we’ve taken away some fantastic learnings – from the right equipment we source to the most efficient processes we use – as we strive to build an all-electric fleet of the future. In fact, this ongoing process of learning and iteration has proved to be a major upside for us and for the wider electric revolution as a whole as these new products and materials hit the shelves.
Ultimately, as e-Ginny sails through choppy waters and steadily makes her way to fruition, these invaluable lessons will enable us to significantly improve our future electric builds while making the whole process speedier, more efficient and cost effective.
Planning to attend Seawork in June? Never fear – the Tidal Transit team will still be there, and we encourage anyone interested in having a chat to reach out and meet up.
In the meantime, we’ve pulled together a new supplier page with details all the amazing partners and suppliers supporting e-Ginny as she makes her transformation. Can’t get enough of e-Ginny? Take a walking tour of the vessel with Leo Hambro to see how she’s coming along:
Stay tuned for further updates later this month, and we’ll see you in Southampton!