Climate Action Leader
2022 AWARD FINALIST
Sponsored by Waka Kotahi
In December 2021, East By West Ferries launched Ika Rere (‘Flying Fish’ in te reo Māori). It is the Southern Hemisphere’s first zero emission, fully electric, fast passenger ferry.
With an eye to the future, and the need to phase out its ageing diesel vessels, founder Jeremy Ward decided that the next vessel in the fleet should be zero-emissions. Jeremy scoured the globe, searching for a suitable vessel. After finding nothing suitable, Jeremy and business partner, boat builder Fraser Foote, founded Wellington Electric Boat Building Company in 2018. The specific mission of the company was to build Ika Rere.
Ika Rere is a 19 metre catamaran vessel that is 100% electric and fast. Many other ferries that go similar speeds are run on hybrid propulsion, or those that are fully electric are slower. Ika Rere is the only boat in Aotearoa New Zealand to prove that it’s possible to combine the two.
Ika Rere runs on certified 100% renewable electricity, making it a zero emission vessel.