Monaco Energy Boat Challenge 

Thursday 6^th July 2023. The 50+ teams got down to business today with the first events of the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge. It was a packed day of sea trials, qualification heats and manoeuvrability tests. It was all about strategy for contestants in the Energy Class, Solar Class and Open Sea Class to score the most points while demonstrating their boats’ capabilities.

In the Solar Class qualifiers, the Netherlands monopolised the top three spots, led by the Sunflare team followed by Han Solarboat and Solar boat Twente. In the Energy Class, where all teams are given the same design catamaran hull and must design an efficient durable propulsion system using alternative energies, using a given quantity of energy, the Greeks Oceanos Ntua from the National Technical University of Athens won out, followed by the Italians’ Uniboat and the French team’s Caiman Ensta.

The Open Sea Class produced a British dominated manoeuvrability contest, with Vita-Seadog and Vita-Seal ahead of compatriots from RS Electric Boats among the certified boats. In the non-certified group, TU Delft Hydro Motion Team won out ahead of the Italians on the Ferretti Group.

The afternoon was all about speed with timed runs for the three classes. The boats tackled a given distance inspired by the 1904 “km race”. In the Open Sea Class, Performance Marine x Evoy clinched first place with a speed of 34.71 knots. UniGe Elettra, the only competitor in the Energy Class finished 9^th with 6.57 knots.

Brainstorming sustainability

The programme ashore was just as intense with meetings between students and major players in the yachting industry at the Job Forum. Representatives from Sanlorenzo, E1, SBM Offshore, Comarbel and Vita met potential candidates for job openings. Meanwhile, the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge hosted high-level discussions that brought together industry players to debate progress and how to move the issues of the ‘Sustainability Transition: Challenge, Engagement, Adoption’ theme forward. 

Although issues relating to new solutions and green energies were at the heart of the debate, panellists also analysed the impact of the whole ecosystem from R&D to design, development and building of boats, be they offshore race yachts, motorboats, pleasure craft or superyachts. A broad overview but which produced conclusions essential to the sector segments concerned 

Tomorrow, Friday 7^th July, sees another busy day with the 4^th Hydrogen Round Table in partnership with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the Energy Transition Mission and Yacht Club de Monaco. A highlight is the Endurance Race that runs for four hours round a three nautical mile course.