Jacobsen Buys Electric Hydrofoil Pilot Boat

Jacobsen Pilot Service has acquired an adapted Artemis Technologies EF-12 Pilot electric hydrofoiling vessel for pilotage work.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Electric Vehicles

Jacobsen Pilot Service, the Port of Long Beach pilotage provider, has bought an adapted Artemis Technologies EF-12 Pilot hydrofoiling electric boat, Artemis announced Wednesday. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Jacobsen Pilot Service, the pilotage provider for the Port of Long Beach, purchased an adapted Artemis Technologies EF-12 Pilot hydrofoiling electric boat. Artemis announced the sale in a social media post on Wednesday.

Why it matters

The EF-12 combines electric propulsion with hydrofoil technology, which Artemis describes as a first for pilot boats. The vessel is designed to give pilots swift transport for busy pilotage operations.

The EF-12 is rated at 32 knots with four passengers aboard and a range of up to 40 nautical miles at cruising speed. Artemis has not disclosed the purchase price, and the extraction does not confirm when the boat will enter service at Long Beach.

The players

Artemis Technologies

Artemis Technologies is a Belfast-based electric boatbuilder that developed the EF-12 Pilot hydrofoiling vessel.

Jacobsen Pilot Service

Jacobsen Pilot Service is the pilotage provider for the Port of Long Beach and the buyer of the adapted EF-12.

The details

The EF-12 uses a pair of combined hydrofoil-propeller-rudder units mounted on struts below the centerline, lifting the hull out of the water to reduce drag and extend battery range. Artemis consulted with pilot boat operators worldwide during development and ran trials with Cork Pilots at the Port of Cork.

June 2026: Artemis launched the first EF-12 Pilot class vessel.
November 4, 2026: Artemis announced the Jacobsen sale in a social media post on Wednesday.

Roadmap

The Jacobsen purchase extends the EF-12 Pilot class, which Artemis launched in June 2026 as its first electric hydrofoil pilot vessel. It marks an early commercial step for hydrofoil propulsion in pilotage work beyond the trial stage at Cork.

For Long Beach shipping traffic, the EF-12 could shorten pilot transit times to incoming vessels, given its 32-knot top speed. The boat's 40-nautical-mile range at cruising speed defines how far it can operate between charges.

The takeaway

Electric hydrofoil technology is moving from trials into paid service for commercial pilot boats. Ports watching this shift can track how the EF-12 performs in daily Long Beach operations.