Long Beach Gets World's First Hydrofoiling Electric Pilot Boat

The Belfast-based electric boatbuilder Artemis Technologies has sold a specially-adapted version of its hydrofoiling electric speedboat to Jacobsen Pilot Service, the pilotage provider for Port of Long Beach. Artemis launched the first vessel in the newly-designed EF-12 Pilot class in June 2026, and announced the first sale in a social media post on Wednesday.

Artemis says that the EF-12 is the first pilot boat in the world to combine electric propulsion and hydrofoil technology. The technologies are synergistic, the firm says: hydrofoiling gets the hull out of the water, reducing drag and boosting battery range. The heart of the design is a pair of combined hydrofoil-propeller-rudder units, which sit on struts below the centerline.

For busy pilots in need of swift transport, the design can hit 32 knots with four passengers aboard, and it has a range of up to 40 nautical miles at cruising speed - plus a quiet and smooth ride above the waves. During development, Artemis consulted with pilot boat operators from around the world to get feedback, and conducted a series of trials with Cork Pilots at the Port of Cork to perform early testing. The design of the hydrofoils' rudder system allows the operator a high degree of control over yaw, giving the pilot boat an advantage when making contact with the side of a ship's hull and then breaking away, according to Artemis.

This story was originally published by The Maritime Executive. Read the full story at The Maritime Executive →