Emka hardware for specialist high speed water shuttle

When Advanced Aerodynamic Vessels needed hardware components to reliably close the entrance doors, flaps, and entrances to the engine compartment – among other things, in a prestigious project in which VIP shuttles transport passengers through the port of Monaco – it turned to Emka.

Advanced Aerodynamic Vessels (AV2) is a boat manufacturer designing catamarans for ‘high speed’ passenger transport. Its team developed a new generation of transport vessels that use aerodynamics for improved energy efficiency, safely lifting the vessel, so reducing hydrodynamic drag. The propulsion power required depends primarily on the weight carried by the water. Therefore, reducing this drag is key to greater efficiency.

The AV2 site combines their design office and shipyard in one place, which allows engineers and designers to work side by side and optimise the ships’ details which has enabled Emka to be up close and personal with this process over a four year development period.

In search for locking systems to suit the engine compartment and entrance doors, AV2 contacted the hardware experts at Emka in 2017 with an order for prototypes. The sales representative in charge looked at the design directly on-site and suggested various solutions from the range.

Since then, Emka has supplied three projects from the boat manufacturer with stainless steel quarter turns, compression latches, escutcheons and keys, and ramps. In addition, vibration-proof products control access to the engine and maintenance compartments.

One of these projects is the unique shuttle service operating at the Monaco marina, for which Emka supplied the closure technology for a transport boat – which can carry up to twelve passengers – for a shuttle service that connects the marina of Monaco and its extension in Ventimiglia, Italy.

The catamaran is equipped with two 350 hp engines and can reach a speed of 50 knots. According to the project manager at AV2, what is interesting here is the relationship between speed and consumption: “Compared to a conventional boat that would travel at the same speed, our fuel consumption is 50 percent less.”

He went on to explain: “The cooperation with Emka has been characterised by close communication from the very beginning. Their sales engineer spent much time with our development department to understand our specific needs. For example, he was involved even before completing our first catamaran, when we were still working with hand-drawn plans. Likewise, Emka has been with us through the entire process from design to finished product, through a proven track record of delivery and responsiveness.”