Innovations Make An Impact At The Monaco Energy Boat Challenge

With super-smart teams battling it out on the water, and key players in the yachting industry to support them, the 11th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, organized by Yacht Club de Monaco continues to drive positive change in alternative propulsion in yachting.

And as a vocal advocate for finding sustainable solutions in yachting HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco was in full support of the over 40 universities, 700 students involved all-year (450 attended the event that was held in early July), 25 nations and the 50-plus boats that gathered in in Monaco to show off the most sustainable ideas to propel the yachting industry into the 21^st century.

“This week is a very popular event judging by all the visitors here to see the innovations. An enthusiasm echoing that which animated the Principality at the first powerboat meetings,” says YCM General Secretary Bernard d’Alessandri. Supported by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, UBS, BMW and SBM Offshore, the event attracts renowned yachting players such as Monaco Marine, Oceanco, Ferretti Group, Azimut/ Benetti Group, Sanlorenzo and Lürssen.

It was non-stop ashore as at sea, a priority being exchange, including the Job Forum that this year saw 90 interviews held between young engineers and professionals and of course the daily Tech Talks held in open source.

Support from the industry was evident in the Corporate Mentoring Program that encourages bespoke support for teams by professionals year-round, as happened to the French Hydrogadz and ENSTA Paris teams through the Monaco Marine University, and Elettra UniGe and UNIBOAT, two of five Italian teams taking part, supported by Sanlorenzo.

“It’s been fantastic to experience this event from the inside. We’ve been able to work closely with students, supporting them from a technical point of view. We opened doors to our shipyards, gave them access to workshops, and enabled them to do sea trials, a crucial step in validating their innovation,” explained Tanguy Ducros, CCO Monaco Marine.

Teams were also helping each other out on the docks with the Canadians on Exocet, the British of Cambridge University Riviera Racing, the Italians of UniGe and the Indonesians of Hydros Team UI exchanging equipment. After filling 30 bottles, so six kilos of hydrogen, made available to five teams, SBM Offshore did not hesitate to provide items from its autonomous green hydrogen pontoon, such as batteries and bottle connections to the Cambridge team.

The technology unveiled was put to the test in a range of challenges at sea including a parade, sea trials, a fleet race, YCM E-Boat Rally, and the endurance, maneuverability and slalom events, and suffice to say the level has gone up several notches. Proof is there in the speed record when contestants are timed over a given distance, inspired by the kilometer-race rules of 1904. Unsurprisingly, the Open Sea Class topped the table of 33 participants with a new record set by Evoy’s Goldfish x9 which hit a top speed of 56 knots and averaged 48.6 knots, a big jump from last year’s 34.71 knots.

“In the past some countries had difficulty passing the technical inspection, yet today we see them with a hybridized hydrogen/ / battery they made themselves and an AI system to optimize their energy consumption,” says Jérémie Lagarrigue, President of the International Jury and CEO of EODev.

Discussions also focused on alternatives such as methanol, promising because of its energy density and ease of storage. “Several criteria are relevant for alternative fuels such as energy density, safety, ease of handling, etc.,” notes Bernhard Urban, Head of Development and Innovation at Lürssen. “We need shipyards and technical partners, but also for owners and crews to be confident, for fuels to be available in ports, and authorities to be fast in defining the regulations,” added Paolo Bertetti, Vice-President Technical and R&D at Sanlorenzo.

The question of whether it’s possible to have nuclear reactors onboard was also discussed although differences remain as to how effective it is at the moment. In terms of sustainability, the SEA Index® presented a new method for calculating CO2 emissions suitable for bio-fuels, in partnership with RINA, aiming to better assess the environmental impact of chosen fuels.

Ten teams took on the hydrogen challenge, a method of propulsion that took center stage at the 5th Hydrogen Round Table organized by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the Energy Transition Mission and YCM. In the maritime sector the main factor slowing down development of this solution is the lack of green hydrogen as well as, crucially, refueling infrastructure problems, whether considering fuel cell technology or a hydrogen combustion engine, a proposition that looks increasingly relevant, particularly for refitting existing units.

The Monaco Energy Boat Challenge Champion 2024 title was awarded to the Greeks from Oceanos – NTUA that rewards the team that best demonstrates its technical qualities during the Tech Talks as well as its performances at sea during the on-water challenges.

The Italians from Physis (Politecnico Milano) received the coveted Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Sustainable Yachting Technology Award the prize being a grant of €25,000.