TO THE RESCUE!

With flash flooding on the increase worldwide due to extreme rainfall, we present three electric boatbuilders who have added another cruise to their variety: the electric rescue boat.

Finnish shipyard Kewatec have delivered a groundbreaking firefighting and rescue boat to the City of Kiel Fire Department equipped with an advanced hybrid waterjet propulsion. In Germany, They have collaborated with MOLABO, the leading manufacturer of 48-volt high-performance drives to combine MOLABO's Aries i50 electric motors with Kewatec’s e-FiFi 1470 design. Also in Germany there is the 13 kg heavy aluminium Uniboot, powered by a a 1000 watt electric outboard motor. In the Netherlands, Verhoeff produces a freefall  aluminium lifeboat, with electric propulsion, using the most advanced type of Li-Ion battery packs The 6.55meter E-Mako-655 rescue boat is a Norwegian solution from Evoy and Viking Norsa.

We also note that the ubiquitous vital inflatable rescue boats, so often seen at the scene of a flash flood are equipped themselves with small electric outboards.

In addition, when flood communities are cut off from electricity, solar-powered electric boats could provide S-to-S temporary power to homes and businesses. An algorithm developed at the University of New South Wales would enable such boats to act as floating mini power plants and link up their batteries to an onshore grid. A pioneering example of this is the solar-powered skimming boat “PlakMan” assembled by Azura Marine,  a Singapore-based team of Engineers, University Professors, Naval Architects and general nature enthusiasts.