Lloyd’s Register (LR), the UK-based classification society, has partnered with REGENT, a US manufacturer of all-electric seagliders for sustainable maritime mobility, to provide certification and advisory services for the latter’s twelve-passenger Viceroy seagliders.
Seagliders are a new type of maritime vessel that operate a few meters above the water’s surface, combining the higher speeds of a light aircraft with the low operating costs of a vessel.
“REGENT’s dedication to safe and sustainable solutions is providing the maritime industry with innovative zero-emissions passenger vessel seagliders that could transform the future of coastal travel,” Mark Darley , COO, Lloyd’s Register, commented.
“LR is excited to join with REGENT to proactively set international certification standards for new maritime transportation as the industry evolves.”
“LR’s certification marks significant progress in REGENT’s compliance pathway toward maritime operations,” Ted Lester , VP, Certification, REGENT, said.
“LR’s expertise in classification and compliance services, as well as its commitment to safety and advancing the path to net-zero emissions, make it an ideal partner for ensuring seagliders meet required global standards now and in the future.”
REGENT’s all-electric seagliders are said to reduce the time and cost of transporting people and goods between coastal destinations. The hydrofoiling wing-in-ground (WIG) craft brings together advanced modern technology from multiple industries – including electric propulsion, hydrofoils, modern vehicle controls, and fly-by-wire systems – to revolutionize WIG capabilities, providing wave tolerance, safe operations, and passenger comfort.
Taking a risk-based approach in the absence of existing rules and regulations, LR will support REGENT through the maritime certification process, including advancing its design basis agreement (DBA) with the US Coast Guard and defining the certification pathway for non-US seagliders.
This process and the engineering data derived from this partnership will help define LR rules for future WIG vessels, including REGENT’s 100-passenger Monarch seaglider. REGENT aims to have humans on board its 12-passenger seaglider prototype this year, with vehicles to market by mid-decade.