Business
Duffy London pioneers sustainable boat design in the Royal Docks
The sustainable marine design company founded by acclaimed British designer Christopher Duffy - is reimagining the area’s maritime heritage for the future.
Based in Silvertown, Chorus is developing a new generation of low‑carbon electric boats that fuse refined design, advanced engineering and environmental responsibility. With its first investment round now secured, the company has entered the prototype phase of its debut vessels – marking a significant milestone both for Chorus and for the Royal Docks as a growing hub for innovation.
Christopher Duffy, founder of Duffy London, is internationally known for two decades of boundary‑pushing furniture design. His globally recognised works are characterised by strong craftsmanship, smart use of materials, and emotional appeal.
The company’s flagship concept, the solar-assisted electric day boat Voltis, is built using bio-based composites, bamboo and recycled metals. The vessels are fully electric, near-silent and lightweight. Advanced solar panels power the drivetrain, eliminating emissions while dramatically reducing maintenance and energy costs. The result is a new benchmark for sustainable luxury.
The Royal Docks location is central to Chorus’s identity. Historically a heart of British shipbuilding, the area now provides fertile ground for a new chapter in maritime innovation, one rooted in clean technology, design excellence and forward-looking enterprise. Chorus’s presence reinforces the Royal Docks’ evolution into a destination where heritage and future-facing industries coexist.
For Duffy, the project is also deeply personal. Motivated by fatherhood and a desire to create systems that benefit future generations, Chorus reframes luxury not as excess, but as responsibility. It is luxury defined by longevity, environmental harmony and thoughtful design.
As Chorus moves steadily from prototype to production, it signals more than the arrival of new boats. It represents a quieter, smarter future for life on the water, one taking shape, fittingly, on the historic waters of the Royal Docks.
For more information, see: https://www.chorusboats.com/
