After four days of competition in the Principality, the 13th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge has concluded with Swiss Solar Boat being crowned the overall champion. The Challenge brought together 54 teams from 21 countries.
The Challenge represents an opportunity for higher education, research, and industry professionals to combine their knowledge to help shape the future of boating. Their innovations are developed and tested in real conditions, with support from the Corporate Mentoring Programme to accelerate the maritime sector’s energy transition.
Bernard d’Alessandri, Director and General Secretary of the Yacht Club de Monaco, said, “Yet again, the Challenge demonstrates that innovations destined to transform the maritime sector often gain momentum in Monaco,” highlighting the event’s role in shaping the future of the industry.
This year, Swiss Solar Boat was the overall winner as they consistently finished on the podium in the sports events and the E-Championship, also winning the Design and Eco-Design prizes.
Technological performance also reached new milestones, with average speeds increasing by around 8%, despite a self-imposed reduction of nearly 30% in permitted power. Additionally, the championship race saw just 30 centimeters between the top two teams. A new speed record was also set by the Frauscher x Porsche – 790 Spectre boat, achieving an average speed of 51.05 knots.
The debut of e-methanol was also one of this year’s highlight innovations, used by the Surge Methanol Foiling Team Twente. This fuel is converted back into hydrogen to power a fuel cell, providing significant storage advantages.
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The weekend also offered conferences on advanced yachting technologies and alternative fuels for sustainable yachting. These topics are not only relevant to the competition, but also prove to be especially important for the Principality.
Additionally, a Job Forum held before the races connected students and companies through interview opportunities. Milena Idolo, Design Unit Coordinator for the Politecnico di Milano team, shared, “It is a great opportunity to speak directly with companies, discuss our future, and discover future opportunities.”
NatPower H and Aqua superPower, both taking part in the Challenge, announced their partnership to speed up the global rollout of electric charging solutions for ports and marinas.
Looking ahead, the event will enter a new phase in 2027 with the launch of the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge World Series. This new phase will enable new teams to join the Challenge while maintaining the standards that define the final in Monaco. The Challenge will continue to foster, test, and accelerate innovations that will help shape the future of the yachting industry.
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