North Kingstown, Rhode Island-based Regent Craft has secured an order for 10 wing-in-ground effect (WIG) vessels from Synerjet, a Brazilian aviation services and aircraft sales company that serves customers in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Synerjet’s order includes 10 of Regent's 12-passenger WIG vessels.
Synerjet and Regent will work closely to define initial operating markets and infrastructure plans in the coming months.
Regent expects to deliver the first examples of the WIG craft to Synerjet as early as 2029. These will be manufactured at Regent's new heavily subsidised production facility, which is scheduled to come online within this year.
Each of the 10 WIG craft will be fully electrically powered and capable of reaching a cruising speed of 160 knots. At full charge, the onboard batteries will deliver a range of 160 nautical miles.
The craft can operate in either hull, hydrofoil, or flight in ground effect mode.
Editor's note: Over the last three decades or so, Baird Maritime has seen several WIG craft involved in fatal accidents.