​Good News from VeniceAgenda2028 co-founder Kevin Desmond!

​Electric boats were one of the key features at the Salone Nautica di Venezia, held at the Arsenale from 18 th to 23 rd June. The two waterbus companies, Alilaguna and ACTV each displayed a hybrid-electric prototype able to handle the relentless 24/24 hr tourist demand. The latter has decided to build an initial batch of 35 of these during the next two years to replace their noisy-smoky-diesel versions. Alongside Vizianello’s HEPIC fuel-cell waterbus and their Nuvolari-designed “retro-look” hybrid-electric water taxi, were three electric workboats also built locally by Veritas, Amadi and VeniceGoGreen’s Cargo31 for the City’s Chamber of Commerce. Also present were e-boats from Transfluid, solar-assist Nauma-Tec, X-Shore (Sweden) and Q-Yachts (Finland). The Italian Powerboat Racing Federation showed an uncompleted prototype of a Formula-E circuit raceboat. In this way, 27,000 Venetian and Italian visitors discovered the “electric boat”. Officially opening the event, both Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, President of the Italian Senate, then Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro spoke about a green sustainability for future generations and declared that in the future the only type of boat in Venice would be electric. Brugnaro also bought Ca’Farseti, the Transfluid hybrid electric wooden cabin runabout for the Municipality, stating “Soon there will be real possibilities to convert the boats and then we will think about the regulations with the various categories: to pass at certain times and in certain places you must have the electric.”

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​ Talking of the ACTV and Alilaguna hybrid waterbuses, he added “One of these days we have a race: we have two solutions, we can say that surely all the boats will become hybrids and in our Grand Canal they will go electric.” Kevin handed out as many EBA Grebe logo visiting cards as he could. The cherry on the cake! Also during the event, VeniceAgenda2028 in association with Inland Waterways International and Assonautica Venezia developed their plan and signed an agreement for a “Zero Emission Lakeside Festival” in June 2020. This will include the four-discipline E-Regatta (a Venetian word) and “Noi Siamo Electriche!”, a much-to-be publicized electric boat procession along the city’s Grand Canal. The racing structure and official presentation of this will take place in October 2019. Other interested parties expressed an interest in holding e-Regattas on Lake Annecy (Fr), Lake Como, Lake Bracciano and Brindisi (Italy) and Lake Beloton (Hungary) and even in North America – an embryonic championship for a new sport. Watch this space!

VeniceAgenda2028 announced that the Foundation of His Serene Highness, Prince Albert II of Monaco had decided to accompany them in this voyage. A decision was also made by Vela representing the City of Venice to hold two Electric Water Taxi E-Regattas, including a six hour endurance trial, one on Lake Como and the other in the Arsenale during the 2020 Boat Show. Electric runabout manufacturers around the world will be sent Venice Boat Show 2019 Report