INAEC Aviation Corporation has signed an agreement with Regent, a US company manufacturing all-electric seagliders for sustainable coastal transportation, to bring seagliders to the Philippines. The Filipino aviation services provider will focus initially on tourism for the archipelago nation with a fleet of 15 12-passenger Viceroy seagliders.

“Seagliders are a game changer for the Philippines,” says Jay Lopez, INAEC president. “They will open up new opportunities to reach currently inaccessible islands and allow visitors to experience more of the natural beauty our country has to offer. We're excited to work with Regent to introduce innovative technologies like seagliders that are safe and affordable while being consistent with the Lopez Group's strategic direction to provide environment-friendly and sustainable modes of transport for travellers.”

The companies plan to work together to engage various stakeholders, including the broader public, to identify infrastructure and operating requirements ahead of the launch of commercial service. Regent has already received an approval in principle for its Viceroy seaglider from Bureau Veritas, a company established in 1828 to provide testing, inspection and certification services to maritime manufacturers and operators. The approval in principle by Bureau Veritas marks an important milestone in the classification and eventual certification of the vessel.

“Island nations like the Philippines are a perfect match for seagliders, where communities are connected by shared coastal waterways and can benefit from more affordable and convenient mobility between them,” says Billy Thalheimer, co-founder and CEO of Regent. “We're thrilled to have such strong alignment with INAEC in our shared mission to deliver safe, sustainable and memorable passenger experiences for all travellers.”

Regent seagliders are a new category of maritime vehicle that combine the high speed of a fixed wing aircraft with the low operating cost of a boat. These all-electric, zero-emission vessels operate exclusively over water and leverage existing dock infrastructure to carry people and goods up to 180 miles with current battery technology.

Regent has built an order book of over 500 seagliders worth more than $8 billion from airline and ferry operators around the world. The company expects its Viceroy seagliders to enter service by mid-decade.