Hull Design Efficiency Challenge finalists announced

Yarmouth County business among final three

Sometimes, a nudge or an incentive can drive a whole industry to think outside the box and deliver groundbreaking solutions to long-standing challenges.

That was the goal when the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency launched its Hull Design Efficiency Challenge.

The challenge called for Atlantic region boat builders and designers to develop fuel efficient boat hull designs that will help lower operating costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The challenge surpassed expectations by attracting 19 applications.

The three finalists moving onto the final stage are:

• Wedgeport Boats Ltd., Lower Wedgeport, N.S.

• Allswater, Halifax, N.S., and St. John’s, N.L.

• TriNav Marine Design Inc., St. John’s, N.L.

“I am both excited and thankful that Wedgeport Boats Ltd. has been selected as a finalist in the Hull Design Efficiency Challenge,” says Fraser Challoner, Wedgeport Boats Ltd. “This announcement brings us that much closer to the possibility of introducing a new, more efficient product to the industry while creating jobs and growth. I would also like to congratulate the other finalists and wish them well going forward.”

The National Research Council of Canada will build and test scale models of each design at its world-class Ocean, Coastal and River Engineering Research Centre in St. John’s, N.L. The finalists will also submit commercialization plans to identify future business opportunities for their design. The top-ranking design will receive a nonrepayable contribution of $500,000. The winner will be expected to continue basic research and development to move their design toward pilot and pre-commercialization phases.

“The potential in the world for hulls with low fuel consumption that reduce operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions is huge,” says Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages. “We’ve got the backs of boat builders and designers as we help them seize opportunities, create good jobs here in Atlantic Canada and grow the economy.”

Henry Demone, chair of the ACOA Hull Design Efficiency Challenge selection jury, says the challenge

has demonstrated what people have known all along, “that there’s a desire and capability to build better fishing boats that can help improve the environment and reduce operating costs. It’s a win-win initiative.”