REGENT Receives Classification Approval in Principle for a Wing-in-Ground Vessel from Bureau Veritas

Bureau Veritas has issued an Approval in Principle (AiP) Regent’s 12-passenger, fully electric, wing-in-ground effect (WIG) seaglider, the Viceroy. This AiP marks an important certification milestone for seagliders, offering a clear path for the vehicle’s classification as a wing in ground effect (WIG) maritime vessel and the commencement of commercial seaglider operations. REGENT currently has a backlog of $7 billion in provisional orders for their seagliders from ferry and aviation operators.

The Approval in Principle (AiP) is a validated third-party technical assessment for the seaglider completed by Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore and is the culmination of a 10-month long engagement between REGENT and Bureau Veritas engineers. This included a series of workshops encompassing aspects of the vehicle’s structure, mechanical systems, avionics, propulsion, and safety systems. Throughout the process, Bureau Veritas provided preliminary expert advice with a focus on the early identification of rules and regulatory framing for the seaglider’s classification.

“Society is accelerating its move toward highly digitalized, decarbonized transportation solutions. Our work with Seagliders has been an opportunity for Bureau Veritas to further share and develop our expertise in new systems and technologies including electric propulsion systems, high-speed hydrofoils, and digital fly-by-wire control systems whilst also assessing the safety of these systems,” says Laurent Leblanc, Senior Vice-President, Technical & Operations, Bureau Veritas, Marine and Offshore.