Harvesting Energy at sea
DRIFT Energy, a deep tech startup based in Bath, UK, has been awarded an approval in principle (AiP) by RINA for its energy harvesting vessel design. It is the first time that an AiP has been awarded for an energy-harvesting ship.
Through RINA’s risk-based AiP framework, the AiP confirms that DRIFT’s novel design meets safety levels equivalent to established marine industry standards while enabling clean energy generation at sea. Patrizio Di Francesco, North Europe Special Projects BD Manager and Principal Engineer at RINA, presented the certificate to DRIFT’s CEO, Ben Medland, during Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami.
A net positive ship
Ben Medland, DRIFT Energy’s Founder and CEO: ‘The AiP validates the vessel’s feasibility from a class perspective and is a key step towards full plan approval. We have collaborated closely with the expert team at RINA to get to this point.’
World’s first net positive vessel
DRIFT has gained significant global commercial traction in the utilities, ports and maritime operations sectors since its foundation in 2021. The AiP from RINA represents a further milestone on the company’s roadmap towards building the world’s first net positive vessel. DRIFT plans to launch its first ship during 2027, subsequently moving to series production to fulfil a current orderbook of more than thirty vessels.
Di Francesco: ‘This Approval in Principle underscores RINA’s commitment to supporting the safe and credible development of innovative vessel concepts that contribute to the energy transition through the use of green hydrogen as an energy carrier. Through close technical collaboration with DRIFT Energy, RINA has assessed a novel design that introduces new approaches to the generation and transport of clean energy at sea, while addressing classification and safety requirements from the earliest stages of development.’
Green hydrogen deliveries
DRIFT’s energy harvesting ships harness deep ocean wind to produce green energy at sea and deliver it worldwide. The vessels use hydro-kinetic turbines under the hull. These are pulled through the water to produce electricity, which is then fed into a seawater-to-hydrogen power plant. Via electrolysis the electricity is converted into green hydrogen fuel and compressed and stored on board for delivery to ports and other demand centres around the world.
The company’s proprietary AI-enabled routing technology, Goldilocks, enables the ships to locate and follow optimal weather patterns, achieving ultra-high load factors compared to other renewable energy sources. DRIFT aims to drive a resilient, clean energy transition, particularly for coastal and island communities and sectors facing challenges in decarbonisation due to grid constraints or limited access to renewable energy.
Source: SWZ Maritime
Artist impression of the energy-harvesting ship by DRIFT Energy
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