Seizing the opportunity to develop electric propulsion
The Association Française pour le Bateau Electrique (AFBE), which brings together shipyards, equipment manufacturers and services in the maritime electrical sector, has presented a plan to revive the sector. It intends to take advantage of the end of the crisis caused by the Covid pandemic19 and its economic consequences to promote its mode of propulsion and accelerate the transition. A series of proposals for the yachting and professional navy sectors has been sent to parliamentarians and the ministries concerned:
- Facilitating the acquisition of electric and plug-in hybrid boats by companies in the sector
- Extend the surcharge for maritime and inland waterway mobility operators to all electric and plug-in hybrid ships and boats.
- Exempting VAT for electrical recharging services.
- Facilitating the transition of boaters to clean mobility
- Reinforce the plan of 1% of port places reserved for electric boats over 2 years, by supplementing it with a request to create 5% of port places reserved for electric boats within the next five years.
- Introduce a bonus per KW installed in order to encourage boaters to migrate to non-polluting propulsion systems by compensating for part of the extra cost.
- Promoting zero-emission spaces
- Establish zero-emission shipping areas within urban areas, biodiversity protection zones and national parks.
- Supporting local and regional authorities
- Encourage the deployment of the use of electric or plug-in hybrid boats and ships on public fleets or fleets operated under public service delegation.
Don't miss the electric train
There has been no shortage of debates in recent weeks to remind us of the need to take account of ecological issues in the economic recovery. Yachting is no exception to the rule. If thermal yachting and the major manufacturers represented by the main organisations put forward their general proposals, the voice of the AFBE brings this useful complement for a crucial evolution for the future of the sector.
"It would be a shame to miss the electric train when French yachting is a world leader. That's why we are making these proposals. We had obtained 1% of port berths for electric boats, we are now pushing for 5%. Without banning thermal boating everywhere, we can think about reserving the last 300 metres in certain protected areas or near homes for electric boats, a bit like what is done in town centres for cars" illustrates Xavier de Montgros, president of the AFBE.
