Marina Vela Brings Electric Boating to Barcelona with Aqua superPower
BARCELONA, Spain – 25 April 2023– The arrival of the first Aqua superPower electric marine fast charge station at Marina Vela in Barcelona joins the one installed a few months ago in the Port of La Rápita, thus initiating the creation of a charging corridor on the Catalan coast. This supports the strategy that is already followed by other British, Italian and French Riviera marinas, such as Monaco, Cannes or Venice, which work to reduce the dependence of nautical activity on fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions. The 75kw charger for electric boats reinforces the strategy and commitment of Port de Barcelona and Marina Vela Barcelona towards sustainability and zero-emission marine mobility.
Marina Vela Barcelona has a privileged location by the sea and has become a reference area not only for its exceptional facilities, but also for the companies in the nautical sector that have installed their headquarters here. Host of the America's Cup, Marina Vela has become a leader of best practices with the main objective of revitalising the environment of the Port of Barcelona.
The charge station has been installed and financed by marine fast charge operator Aqua superPower, working with ChargeGuru Business Services. With a power of 75kw and twin CCS2 connectors, two electric boats can simultaneously recharge in as little as 20-40 minutes. The charge station is accessible to electric boat users via the Aqua app that can be downloaded on any device, providing a seamless user experience.
The presentation of the new Aqua superPower marine charge station in Marina Vela was attended by Lluis Salvador, President of the Port de Barcelona, Xavier Sabaté, the head of Environment projects of Port de Barcelona, Ángel López Rodríguez, E-mobility Programme Director Barcelona, Alberto Garcia, Director of Marina Vela Barcelona, Pedro Companys, responsible for Aqua superPower in Spain and Portugal, among other personalities.
Lluís Salvador, the President of the Port of Barcelona, thanked Marina Vela Barcelona and Aqua superPower for their commitment to install the first electric marine charge station in Barcelona. "With this initiative it will be possible to achieve the objectives of sustainability and of having a corridor of electric chargers."
“With this electric boat charge station, another step is taken towards converting the port of Barcelona into a green port. Marina Vela Barcelona is the first nautical facility in Barcelona that has an electric marine charge station of 75 kW power to bring the arrival of ‘zero emissions’ boating.” Said Alberto Garcia, Director of Marina Vela Barcelona. “The installation of the new Aqua superPower fast charge station is part of our commitment to the environment and leading the way in sustainable marina management practices.”
“This installation further extends Aqua superPower’s charging corridor along the Catalonian coast and our partnership with ACPET. We are delighted to be working with Marina Vela as the first in Barcelona to join Aqua’s marine fast charge network. This brings crucial marine electrification infrastructure to a high profile, prestigious capital location.” Said Pedro Companys, Aqua superPower Business Development Manager for Spain and Portugal. “Access to charging that provides a reliable ‘plug & charge’ experience and offers features like charge point visibility, is essential for boat owners if they are to develop the confidence to transition to electric boats. We look forward to bringing clean electric boating to Marina Vela and supporting the Port of Barcelona’s wider green ambitions.”
The global electric boat market is expected to be worth over $20 billion by 2027. There are currently over 30 million recreational boats in the world. Assuming the boat market continues to grow in line with historical trends, it is likely there will be more than 1 million electric boats by 2030. Regulation will accelerate this trend, and more and more areas will only be accessible to electric boats.
Vita Yachts (https://vita-power.com)
Proving that both infrastructure and electric boats exist to make the switch, electric boat builder Vita Yachts offered test rides supercharged by the new Aqua 75 DC marine fast charge station at Marina Vela. The Vita SEAL is designed to be an everyday, utilitarian boat for both commercial and recreational use, powered by Vita’s electric propulsion technology for the mass market. Vita demonstrated how their intelligent software and DC fast charging capabilities combine seamlessly with Aqua superPower’s network to deliver a safe and reliable user experience.
D28 Formentore-HYBRID By Antonio Yachts and Cupra(https://www.deantonioyachts.com)
The new model of this Barcelona company is the first high-performance commercial vessel with hybrid motorisation. It integrates two 15kw retractable electric motors developed by the BlueNav company, which, together with the hidden 400hp Mercury outboard motor, offers a hybrid system that allows the boat to circulate both in combustion mode and in fully electric mode. In electric navigation, theD28 Formentor e-HYBRID generates zero emissions, so it does not pollute the water and emits hardly any acoustic emissions. The bank of up to six batteries gives it a range in electric mode of up to 12 miles, with about 2 hours of navigation at a cruising speed of 6 knots and a maximum speed of 8 knots.
Marina Vela Barcelona (https://marinavela.com)
Located next to the W hotel and a few minutes from the center of Barcelona, Marina Vela has a privileged location next to the sea, with 130 moorings for rent and for sale, a pioneering Marina Seca in Europe, and a unique gastronomic offer.
With state-of-the-art facilities, Marina Vela is located in an exceptional environment, surrounded by top quality services and companies specialised in services for leisure boats, with a clear commitment to sustainability and the environment.
Aqua superPower (https://aqua-superpower.com)
Aqua superPower is the first company to develop and install a global marine fast charging network to support marinas, boat builders and boat owners in the sustainable shift to decarbonisation and marine conservation.
ChargeGuru Business Services (https://chargeguru.com)
ChargeGuru Business Services (CBS) worked with Aqua superpower on installing the Aqua 75 dual capacity, IP-65 rated marine fast charge station at Marina Vela. This is the second installation carried out by CBS with Aqua superPower, after a previous installation in the Port of Cogolin in France, strengthening the strategic collaboration between the two companies at a European level.
Adrien Castagnié,Managing Director Iberia of CBS, states "At ChargeGuru Business Serviceswe are very pleased to have installed the first electric boat charging stationin the Port of Barcelona, together with Aqua superPower. The transition towards electric maritime mobility has just begun and we want to be part of it”.
