The 12th edition of the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, organized by the Yacht Club de Monaco with the support of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, UBS, BMW, and SBM Offshore, has once again concluded, solidifying its position as a pivotal event for innovation in clean propulsion systems. This competition, which brought together leading industry players and young engineers, showcased remarkable progress in accelerating the marine sector’s energy transition.
This year, H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, President of the YCM, personally visited the students, stopping at each stand to learn about the latest advancements and officially mark the championship finals.
Pushing technological boundaries
Among the competitors, some teams once again pushed the boundaries of technology, particularly in the Energy Class, which boasted 20 participants. Remarkably, in just four years, battery capacity has nearly doubled for the same weight, while simultaneously improving safety. This is a clear indication of the tangible progress achieved in energy storage. The event also reached a milestone in terms of participation, with a greater number of vessels and increasing industry engagement.
Teams were divided into four categories, exploring technologies for the future of yachting:
- AI Class: Fully autonomous vessels powered by artificial intelligence.
- Energy Class: Standardized hulls used to test various technologies.
- SeaLab Class: Floating laboratories that this year focused on pioneering projects using hydrogen.
- Open Sea Class: CE-certified zero-emission prototypes up to 25 meters capable of carrying at least three people.
Of all competitors, 30 vessels were electric-powered, 12 used hydrogen, and 12 prototypes utilized hydrofoils.
Key trends at the 12th edition
Three main trends were evident at the 12th edition:
- Artificial intelligence (AI) confirmed its role in energy management on vessels, especially systems capable of optimizing battery charging and usage in real-time, improving performance and autonomy.
- Hydrogen technologies continue to mature, particularly with the advent of liquid and solid hydrogen storage solutions.
- The development of toroidal propellers capable of reducing underwater noise pollution by 50-80%, a crucial issue for marine life as it poses a real danger to ecosystems.
12th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge winners by class:
Energy class:
- Overall Winner: UNIPD – UniBoat (University of Padua, Italy) – Recognized for their exceptional efficiency and innovative propulsion system design.
- Best Innovation: Politecnico di Milano (Italy) – For their advanced energy management system.
- Best Technical Solution: Team Hydros (Switzerland) – For the implementation of a sophisticated hydrogen fuel cell.
AI class:
- Winner: ENSTA Bretagne (France) – Their autonomous boat demonstrated exceptional precision in navigation and route optimization using AI algorithms.
- Best Performance: University of South Brittany (France) – Distinguished themselves in speed and stability in autonomous mode.
SeaLab class:
- Winner: Team Monaco (Monaco) – For their pioneering floating laboratory project which successfully demonstrated the application of hydrogen in small vessels.
- Best Presentation & Concept: ETH Zurich (Switzerland) – For clarity and innovation in presenting their research objectives.
Open sea class:
- Winner: SBM Offshore (Netherlands) – Presented an impressive zero-emission prototype that meets high standards of performance and safety.
- Jury Prize: Team Eco Boat (Germany) – For their efforts in developing an environmentally friendly vessel with exceptional noise reduction.
The Monaco Energy Boat Challenge continues to be an incubator for innovation, bringing together the best minds from around the world to shape a sustainable maritime future, with many of these solutions already being tested for commercial application.
