Sessy Boat
A journey into Africa
“I’ve known Africa for over 35 years, but this journey touched me deeply. The paradox of living in complete dependence on nature, while simultaneously exploiting and even destroying it, became painfully clear here.”
These were the poignant words of Udo A. Hafner, reflecting on his visit to Lake Victoria during the pandemic. This wasn’t just a journey to inspect a work project; it was an encounter with the delicate balance between human survival and environmental sustainability.
Our CEO visited the ASOBO project, an ambitious initiative aimed at replacing the highly polluting petrol engines on fishing boats with electric alternatives powered by renewable energy. But what truly stood out was how this project sought to address two pressing issues: improving the environmental health of Lake Victoria and enhancing the safety and livelihoods of fishermen in Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya.
But let’s start from the beginning.
The hazards of fishing on Lake Victoria
It all started with an inquiry we received in 2021. The request posed significant challenges but also pushed us to find innovative ideas. It demanded a solution that combined safety, sustainability, and affordability while acknowledging the unique conditions of one of the largest lakes in the world.
Lake Victoria, spanning 68,800 km²—an area larger than the German state of Bavaria—is the lifeline for millions of people. Over 100,000 fishing boats work its waters daily, harvesting omena, tilapia, and Nile perch. However, fishing on the lake comes at a grave cost. Unofficial estimates indicate that a thousand lives are lost each year.
Safety and pollution issues
The challenges faced by these fishermen are monumental. Many of the fishing boats are made from illegally logged tropical hardwood from Central Africa, and deteriorate in less than ten years. The 9-meter-long boats are so porous that one crew member constantly has to bail water out of the boat.
Worse still, these boats lack essential safety equipment and lighting for night fishing. The gasoline engines that power them are not only costly to maintain but also highly polluting. Shorelines are littered with abandoned boats and contaminated with engine fluids. When refuelling directly on the lake, fuel spills into the water, exacerbating environmental damage.
ASOBO: the spark of hope
Amidst this environmental and human crisis, the ASOBO project aims to improve the situation drastically. The initiative seeks to replace petrol-powered outboard motors with electric alternatives, complemented by lighting systems for night fishing. This shift not only addresses sustainability concerns but also significantly boosts the profitability of fishing.
In its pilot phase, ASOBO is retrofitting 89 boats, which will collectively reduce 783 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually while saving fishermen more than 10 thousand euros in energy costs each year. The project is also creating 88 new jobs, with women filling 50% of leadership roles—an essential step towards fostering equality in the region.
Reimagining the fishing boats: the vessel of change
But replacing polluting engines was just one piece of the puzzle. An important question was raised: What would a boat look like if it was designed not just to survive, but to meet the future needs of the lake?
A boat that would be safe, sustainable, affordable and locally produced.
The answer came in the form of HDPE (high-density polyethylene), a material known for its durability, chemical resistance, and recyclability.
Fishing boats made from this material means that it could resist the corrosive forces of the lake’s waters, that could withstand the harsh African sun.
But this wasn’t without its challenges.
Importing these boats from Europe or Asia would not only be ecologically unviable but also financially unsustainable, so the only way forward was to produce these boats locally, using industrial rotational moulding.
A pioneering effort—an endeavour that had never been done on this scale in Africa.
Involving partners to turn this into a reality
Supported from our client eWave, the first step was to study the regional fishing practices and then we began the product design phase. It quickly became clear that the construction of such boats was technically feasible if a sufficiently large rotational oven could be provided.
The Slovenian company Roto® has been an enthusiastic leading partner since day one.
After years of development and initial tests, a nearly house-sized oven is now almost operational in Kenya. The first test runs have exceeded all expectations.
Where are we now?
The project is now on the verge of production. The molds are being further refined, and in Hamburg, prototype test runs are underway to determine the best motor configurations.
But the story doesn’t stop here. The sustainable boat model developed for the fishermen of Lake Victoria is already being followed by other boats for other applications—houseboats, ferries, and more.
The story of these fishing boats for Lake Victoria is still being written, and so is the story of Africa’s development. Both are filled with challenges, yes, but also with boundless potential.
And just like the vast lake itself, this journey is far from over.
Not only in Africa, but in many developing countries, local fishermen are disadvantaged because of their boats as a means of work. Yet there are already good solutions in industrialized nations that simply need to be adapted and transferred. For this you need the right partners – and we are convinced to have found them with iYacht and Roto.
Wolfgang Gregor
Partner of E-Wave GmbH
We have successfully proven for years that we can manufacture good PE boats. Roto boats and canoes are omnipresent in Europe. However, the new boat represents a new challenge in terms of size and application. I think that together with iYacht we have developed a perfect solution for the African fishermen.
Matjaž Pavlinjek
Managing Director Roto Group – Slovenia
It is not very common for our designers and engineers to get an order for developing a fishing boat. But after the on-site visit to Lake Victoria, we saw the compelling need to help the fishermen with our expertise. Our team in Hamburg has rarely worked with so much pride and enthusiasm on a project as in this partnership with E-Wave and Roto.
Udo Hafner
CEO iYacht – Germany
