Hydrogen is not the only answer. Methanol is progressing, battery technology is maturing, wind propulsion is finding its place again in industry strategies, and nuclear power is now part of the conversation. Gathered at Yacht Club de Monaco for the 7th Alternative Fuels Conference, organised by YCM and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, researchers, industry leaders, energy experts and shipbuilders had a similar message: the maritime sector’s energy transition relies on a combination of solutions tailored to each vessel’s specific needs. “The debate has evolved. The future of maritime decarbonisation will not rely on a single solution,” said Salomé Mormentyn, Polar Initiative Manager at the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, in her opening remarks. “It will depend on our ability to understand, test, and compare various solutions to determine how they can be implemented in a realistic and responsible manner”.
Hydrogen continues to develop with progress now dependent less on engines but more on the supporting ecosystem as a whole. Discussions focused on refuelling infrastructure, production capacity, the investment required and conditions necessary for large-scale adoption in the maritime sector. While the technology is now available, the real challenge lies in its deployment.
Opening the session, John Rossant, President of the Monaco Hydrogen Alliance, put emphasis on the international context. In his view, Europe has a window of opportunity to take the lead on hydrogen-derived fuels for the maritime sector, as European policies accelerate their investments while other regions of the world are slowing down. Hydrogen should not be viewed as an isolated technology. “Hydrogen is not just one propulsion option among many. It is the common denominator for most of them, and the molecule on which we will depend for fuels that will enable the maritime sector to achieve carbon neutrality in the future”.
For Pierre Ceccaldi, a Hydrogen and Bioenergy Project Engineer at Capenergies, the choice of fuel can no longer be limited to technical performance. Factors such as supply chain maturity, available infrastructure, logistics, retrofit options and energy density must all be analysed alongside. He pointed out that while hydrogen offers the highest gravimetric energy density, methanol stands out as one of the most readily deployable solutions, thanks to a supply chain that is already well-established. “All the energy contained in the fuels we are discussing, with the possible exception of nuclear power, originates from molecular hydrogen”.
Discussions also highlighted that the main bottleneck is infrastructure. Marco Galimberti, CEO of NatPower H, explained that his group has been investing for three years in developing a hydrogen production and distribution network. Following the lead of marinas, Italian port authorities are now turning their attention to hydrogen alongside investments in shore power electrification. “The fact we are taking part in this event for the third year in a row demonstrates our unwavering commitment to decarbonising the maritime sector and port operations. We prioritise long-term investments over short-term market trends. Through NatPower Marine, we are actively developing our shore power solutions, while NatPower H puts hydrogen at the heart of forward-looking innovation. We are not just planning the transition, we are actively investing in concrete pathways that will lead the maritime transport industry and ports toward zero emissions”.
Alongside him, Andrea Porrini, Managing Director of Linde, gave the industry perspective, noting that while hydrogen had at times sparked unrealistic expectations, it still plays a vital role in the future energy mix. Developing the sector now requires a pragmatic approach based on real-world applications and securing demand before infrastructure is even built. “Hydrogen remains an extraordinary energy carrier, but we must be selective. Every investment requires a cost-benefit analysis”.
While nuclear power has largely been absent from discussions on yachting, it emerged as a key topic this morning. Researchers, industry players, classification societies and sector specialists compared their views on prospects offered by small modular reactors and micro-reactors, noting that the main hurdles are no longer solely technological.
Opening this session Jean-Michel Ruggieri, Director of the IRESNE Institute at CEA, reviewed work being done on small modular reactors and their maritime applications. Three configurations are under study: land-based facilities designed to produce new decarbonised fuels, offshore platforms, and in the longer term reactors installed on board ships. Technical feasibility has been established, but “the main challenge is establishing a regulatory framework for international waters”. Several initiatives are already underway, notably within the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) via the ATLAS programme, and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to adapt regulatory frameworks to these new technologies.
Discussions then turned to the role it could play in the maritime sector’s future energy mix. For Derek Munro, Director at Yacht Consultancy Ltd, the micro-reactors under development are a real game-changer. His company has spent five years working on a compact technology suitable for yachts: “We believe we can install them on yachts starting at 45m in length”. In his view, the rapid pace of regulatory and industrial developments points to the imminent arrival of a first generation of nuclear-powered yachts. “I think this process will roll out much faster than people imagine, and we will see nuclear-powered vessels appear by 2030”.
For Aakash Dua, Business Development Director for Western Europe at DNV, nuclear power should be viewed as one component: “We are talking an energy mix here. Nuclear power is one element of the solution”. Large vessels are likely to be the first to benefit from this technology, while alternative fuels remain the most suitable solutions for smaller boats in the short term.
Engel Jan de Boer, Yacht Segment Director at Lloyd’s Register, shares this view. Lloyd’s Register has been working for several years with authorities, flag states, insurers and industry players to support development of these new technologies. In his opinion, the technical issues are now largely mastered; the real challenge lies in evolving the regulations, insurance procedures and public acceptance. “The challenges are certainly not technical in nature. Rather, they are societal and to a certain extent economic”.
Long associated with recreational sailing, wind power is winning back its place in maritime sector decarbonisation debates. The exchanges revealed that wind-assisted propulsion is no longer at odds with other technologies. Now automated, managed by routing tools and integrated into hybrid architectures, it complements electric propulsion systems and alternative fuels with a shared goal to reduce energy consumption while maintaining vessel performance.
For Martina Reche-Vilanova, Technical Manager at North Windships, three factors are driving this resurgence: the need to reduce emissions, the return on investment from fuel savings, and advances in automation. “First decarbonisation. We need solutions to cut emissions in the commercial shipping and recreational boating sectors,” she says, pointing out that “every time you use your sail, you aren’t consuming fuel”. New technologies are also transforming the sailing experience. “Thanks to automation and new technologies, particularly AI, sailing is becoming easier and offering a different kind of experience”.
Speakers were keen to emphasise that wind propulsion is no longer an isolated technology. For Jean Guyon, CEO of Aeroforce, automated rigid sails should be seen as a complementary energy source, like batteries or solar power. “Wind energy is undoubtedly part of the solution. When it comes to fuel savings, they are 100%. We don’t use any fuel”. Automation remains a key factor to ensure this technology is more widely adopted “because it transforms your sail system into a sort of wind-powered engine”.
This change must be accompanied by a transformation in the market. For Carlo Torre, Managing Director of MYT Group, wind propulsion now needs to meet motor yacht owners’ expectations, without compromising current standards of comfort and amenities. “We need to align ourselves as closely as possible with these requirements; otherwise we won’t sell sailing boats”.
Wind propulsion no longer feels like a return to the past. Combined with weather routing tools, AI, automated energy management systems and hydrogeneration, it is now part of a hybrid approach where multiple energy sources complement one another to achieve reductions in maritime sector emissions for the long-term.
Already adopted by hundreds of merchant ships, methanol stands out as one of the most advanced solutions for accelerating the maritime sector’s decarbonisation. Industry professionals gathered in Monaco agree on one point: while the engines, fuel cells and hybrid architectures are now available, the main obstacles lie with green methanol production, refuelling infrastructure and the pace of regulatory changes.
By way of introduction, Ernesto La Colla, Specialist Engineer (Multi-Fuel) at Feadship, noted that nearly 94% of a yacht’s carbon footprint is down to its operations, compared to just 6% for its construction and supply chain. For him the priority is therefore to focus on fuels and propulsion systems. More than 400 vessels already run on methanol, and global production capacity is expected to increase significantly by 2031.
For Simone Bruckner, Chief R&D Officer at Sanlorenzo, the shipyard’s first projects demonstrate that the technology is now mature. “The technology exists,” he says, but the “main issue lies in the limited availability of green methanol, especially in the Mediterranean region”.
Distribution infrastructure is advancing more slowly than technology developments, even though methanol maintains a head start over other alternative fuels. Engine manufacturers share this view. Laurent Thiebaut, Managing Director of Rolls-Royce Power Systems France, believes that methanol currently represents the least disruptive solution for the industry. “From a technical standpoint, we are ready”. After several years of development, the first methanol-powered engines are now operational.
This approach is supported by Lex Nijsen, VP Head of Marine Europe & the Americas at Everllence SE. His group has been marketing methanol engines for the maritime sector for several years and is now developing dual-fuel engines aimed particularly at superyachts. “The technology for running engines on methanol poses no problem”. In his view, the industry is entering a new era in which several fuels will coexist. Methanol could offer a very relevant solution for converting part of the existing fleet.
The issue of different energy architectures featured prominently in discussions. Multi-fuel systems combining internal combustion engines, fuel cells and heat recovery offer a degree of flexibility that means owners can keep cruising in areas where methanol is not available. Currently hybrid architecture represents the most realistic approach, while fuel cells offer a promising solution to meet onboard hotel energy needs.
As the only university team working on this technology, Daan de Waard, Power System Engineer with the SURGE Methanol Foiling Team Twente, explained why his team chose methanol for the prototype entered in the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge. In his view, the fact it is easier to store than hydrogen or ammonia, is liquid at room temperature and its energy density makes it a suitable compromise for maritime applications. However, the main challenge is renewable methanol production.
Speakers also emphasised the pivotal role of regulation. All agree that the technical solutions exist, but how the market develops depends on public policies to accelerate green methanol production and the rollout of distribution infrastructure. As Laurent Thiebaut says: “We are entrepreneurs. We’re here to change the world. It will take longer than expected, but we will get there”.
What is clear is that no single solution is capable of meeting all the maritime sector’s needs. Hydrogen, methanol, batteries, wind propulsion and even nuclear power address specific usages and are expected to coexist in the years ahead. This represents a major shift away from putting all resources into one fuel source, it is now the complementarity of technologies that is driving the energy transition in the yachting industry.
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