An Electric Workboat for the Aquaculture Industry

The Boat Yard will design a novel workboat hull to meet the specific requirements of the U.S. aquaculture industry. The aquaculture industry currently relies on gasoline or diesel-fueled internal combustion engines to power workboats used to transport personnel equipment and materials to and from aquaculture sites. Our workboat will feature a novel hull design durability and superior battery life/range at a competitive price. This Phase I project will result in a prototype hull. We will complete the foundational research needed to develop a core hull and propulsion design create and test a virtual and alpha prototype and survey potential customers. The resulting commercially available electric workboat will save aquaculture companies money on fuel and maintenance helping them compete with imports. It will also help the industry maintain its reputation as the most environmentally sustainable seafood source. Our electric workboat will eliminate environmental hazards to personnel crops and the marine ecosystem from volatile emissions and fuel spills or leaks. This project directly supports the USDA's FY2022-2026 Strategic Goals. An electric workboat will eliminate greenhouse gas emissions and potential fuel spills combating climate change and protecting America's working water natural resources (Strategic Goal 1). This innovation will reduce costs and increase profits for farmers contributing to aquaculture's sustainability and rural economic development (Strategic Goals 2 and 5) while providing safe nutritious food (Strategic Goal 4). It would also make domestic aquaculture farmers more competitive with imports which currently supply over 60% of seafood consumers in the U.S. (Strategic Goal 3).