Ecomar Propulsion gives new lease of life to old workboat at Shoreham Port

Ecomar Propulsion in Hampshire has joined forces with Shoreham Port on a three-year project to adapt and test out a 30-year-old recycled battery-powered boat.

The partnership aims to demonstrate how inland waterways and ports can benefit from Ecomar’s zero emission motors.

Two years ago, the old glass reinforced plastic (GRP) boat, originally built by Vikoma on the Isle of Wight was lying in a scrap yard in Aberdeen.

During its working life, the boat had been used to contain oil spillages around the harbour and North Sea rigs.

Having been abandoned to landfill, though, Ecomar decided to purchase the boat – which, due to its GRP composition, could not be recycled – and send it back out onto the water for what the team hopes will be at least another 10 years.

Eugene Bari, CEO of Ecomar Propulsion, said: “Plastic boats that have no remaining useful purpose are becoming a bigger and bigger issue.

“We aim to prove that it’s economically viable to recycle boats like this and to get them working to offset carbon.

“This boat is a great example of how industries can adapt apparently useless machines.

“It could easily have been wasted, but now it’s been given a new purpose that benefits everyone.”

Ecomar Propulsion design and produce zero emission engines for commercial marine users – like the 100kW zero emission KAIROS inboard motor fitted to the plastic workboat.

David Daish, sales manager for Ecomar, said: “The team designed and installed the maximum number of recyclable parts including a driveshaft, rudder and high voltage energy system.

“The motor is a high-power, axial flux design with a minimal space requirement and the aluminium wheelhouse, console and non-toxic cooling systems were designed and fabricated by the team in Fareham.”

The theme of reclamation continued even in the workshop, where a rusting old steel transport ‘dolly’ was recovered from scrap and used to move the boat around in the yard.

Ecomar then decided to partner with Shoreham Port over in West Sussex on a pilot project to introduce the electric vessel to the port’s own fleet.

The Vikoma will now be a regular sight patrolling the port’s 1.6-mile canal.

Eugene said: “From Ecomar’s perspective, this is the perfect solution.

“Not only does the boat have a new life, but it will continue with its mission long into the future.

“After 30 years of arduous work saving Aberdeen from oil spills, it’s moved on to serving Shoreham Port.

“The next few years will see the team in Shoreham and at Ecomar collect data which can be used to show how much greenhouse gas pollution has been removed – simply by recycling a dead asset into a useful clean machine.”

Julian Seaman, harbour master and marine operations director at Shoreham Port, added: “We’re pleased to begin a new partnership with Ecomar, introducing an electric vessel to our port’s fleet for the first time and marking a significant step towards our net zero ambitions.

“The three-year trial will provide crucial data and assess the addition of electric-powered vessels within our fleet.”