graphic courtesy REGENT

• REGENT says a local seaglider network is being developed for Hawaiʻi in partnership with Pacific Current, a Hawaiian Electric Industries, and Mokulele Airlines, owned by Southern Airways.
• Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, “a Paris-based global classification society that provides third-party technical assessments and approves new seagoing vessels”, has certified the design of REGENT’s 12-passenger, seaglider, the Viceroy.
• REGENT says the next step will be the design appraisal process, which involves a series of technical studies that are now underway.
• REGENT says it currently has “a backlog of $7 billion in provisional orders for seagliders from ferry and aviation operators, including Mokulele Airlines, which plans to launch the local network with Viceroy seagliders.”

From a recent REGENT news release:

REGENT, the Boston-based manufacturer of seagliders, which announced plans earlier this summer to partner with local businesses to launch a new all-electric seaglider transportation network in Hawai‘i, provided a welcome update today for Hawai‘i residents and businesses seeking a more affordable, accessible mode of air transportation between the islands.

The company has reached a major design approval milestone that moves the local seaglider network another step forward. The network is being developed in partnership with Pacific Current, a Hawaiian Electric Industries subsidiary focused on renewable energy, and Mokulele Airlines, owned by Southern Airways.

Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, a Paris-based global classification society that provides third-party technical assessments and approves new seagoing vessels such as seagliders, has certified the design of REGENT’s 12-passenger, fully electric, seaglider, the Viceroy, which will be used for inter-island and intra-island passenger and cargo transportation in Hawai‘i.

“This certification milestone is an extremely important moment for the seagliders’ design and technical maturity and is a significant step forward to enabling seaglider operations in locations throughout the world, possibly starting in Hawai‘i. It is the first major outcome of our maritime certification process,” said Billy Thalheimer, co-founder and CEO of REGENT, noting that this has been the culmination of nearly a year-long process of discussions between REGENT and Bureau Veritas.

“REGENT and Bureau Veritas engineers have reviewed every detail of the seagliders, covering the vehicle’s structure, mechanical systems, avionics, propulsion, and safety systems,” Thalheimer added. We appreciate Bureau Veritas and their deep bench of engineering talent with complex maritime vessel experience. They have been a tremendous partner in our certification activities to date, and we are excited to deepen our relationship with them as we enter into the next phase of our design approval process.”

The certification milestone from Bureau Veritas — called an Approval in Principle (AiP) —establishes the seaglider’s classification as a wing-in-ground effect (WIG) maritime vessel and clears the path to begin commercial seaglider operations. A wing-in-ground effect (WIG) refers to the airflow created by the vehicle’s wings and surface of the ocean that allows seagliders to travel smoothly above the water.

REGENT currently has a backlog of $7 billion in provisional orders for seagliders from ferry and aviation operators, including Mokulele Airlines, which plans to launch the local network with Viceroy seagliders.

Now that REGENT has received the Approval in Principle (AiP), the company’s next step will be the design appraisal process, which involves a series of technical studies that are now underway.

During the design appraisal, Bureau Veritas will provide an independent, safety-based certification of REGENT’s seaglider design. This design appraisal process will enable the implementation of the seaglider’s design and operation without significant risk of compliance or qualification issues.

REGENT will also be leveraging the AiP in support of a Design Basis Agreement (DBA) with the U.S. Coast Guard, which is expected this fall. The AiP and DBA form a classification and certification basis with both Bureau Veritas and the U.S. Coast Guard, similar to the G-1 and G-2 issue paper used in FAA aircraft certification.

About REGENT

REGENT is pioneering the future of sustainable maritime mobility. REGENT builds seagliders, a new category of electric vehicle that operates exclusively over the water that will drastically reduce the time and cost of moving people and goods between coastal cities. Seagliders will service routes up to 180 miles with existing battery technology and up to 500 miles with next-generation batteries, via existing dock infrastructure. For more information, visit regentcraft.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Bureau Veritas

Bureau Veritas, based in Paris, Frances, is a world leader in laboratory testing, inspection and certification services. Created in 1828, the Group has more than 82,000 employees located in more than 1,500 offices and laboratories around the globe. Bureau Veritas helps its clients improve their performance by offering services and innovative solutions in order to ensure that their assets, products, infrastructure and processes meet standards and regulations in terms of quality, health and safety, environmental protection and social responsibility. Bureau Veritas is listed on Euronext Paris and belongs to the Next 20 index. Compartment A, ISIN code FR 0006174348, stock symbol: BVI. For more information, visit bureauveritas.com.