New Zealand marine innovator Vessev and Tasmania’s Fly Derwent have announced plans to launch Australia’s first electric hydrofoiling network on the Derwent River.
It will launch with a VS-9, Vessev’s flagship 10-seater, nine-metre, fully electric hydrofoiling catamaran, which lifts above the water on car bon fibre foils.
This is expected early 2027. Multiple VS-12s have also been reserved, each carrying 30 passengers, creating a transport network requiring no large-scale infra structure investment or upgrades.
Vessev’s hydrofoiling vessels cruise at around 25 knots and can operate at higher speeds without damaging the Derwent’s riverbanks. Vessev ceo Eric Laakmann says this is the beginning of a shift in how cities think about water mobility.
“With projects now underway in both Tasmania and Perth, we’re seeing genuine momentum build in Australia. Almost every major city has waterways sitting largely unused for passenger transport and electric hydrofoiling changes that.”
