About GB Energi

Geoff Boerne, founder of GB Energi

Geoff Boerne has spent decades designing, testing, surveying, and operating the kind of smaller vessels and short-route cargo systems GB Energi is built around.

Transport systems and freight logistics
Completed an M.Sc. in Transport at Cardiff University with focus on multimodal transport and logistics. (1990)

Energy and transport research
At the request of the Energy for Development Research Centre, University of Cape Town, wrote the Energy and Mass Transport section. (1992)

First modern short-route cargo sail prototype
Started development and building of Lo Entropy, his first prototype for modern short-route and inter-island cargo sailing. (1993)

Prototype testing in real ocean service
Lo Entropy has crossed the Atlantic on numerous occasions, East to West, West to East, South to North and circumnavigated Africa as well as working in the Caribbean, East Africa and Europe for long periods. The vessel's design, seaworthiness and sailing attributes have stood the test of time, oceans and extreme sea and weather conditions. The vessel continues to be a low-maintenance, robust, easy-to-sail sailing cargo vessel. (1996)

Inter-island and coastal cargo transportation research
At the request of the Seafarers International Research Centre at Cardiff University, carried out a study of inter-island and African coastal cargo transport. (1999)

Marine surveyor for smaller ships and workboats
Worked as a marine surveyor for vessels under 24 meters with MECAL, a UK MCA-accredited survey company. (2002-2008)

Operating experience in East Africa
The optimized prototype was applied to transport between islands and smaller ports in East Africa using only tides and beaches for out of water maintenance. (2009-2015)

Wind propulsion and freight strategy
Worked on maritime projects including an EU Dual Ports Interreg project and continued with wind propulsion, intermodal freight, and small-ship transport strategy. (Later work in Denmark)

Early prototype at sea in 2015