The Monaco Energy Boat Challenge concluded its 12th edition with over 1,000 students from the global yachting industry gathering to present their latest sustainable innovations…
Held at the Yacht Club de Monaco, the event brought together 42 teams from 20 countries to compete in a range of challenges focused on clean energy propulsion.
This year’s competition introduced a major new feature: the integration of artificial intelligence to optimise boat design and navigation. “AI is an aid and a tool,” organisers explained. “It helped in the design phase and during navigation, ensuring boats are optimised and serious contenders on the water.”
Throughout the week, teams faced various races designed to test different performance aspects, including acceleration, maneuverability, and endurance. In the final slalom event, boats demonstrated their agility and rapid propulsion, with some teams favouring powerful engines for bursts of speed, while others prioritised energy-efficient designs that excelled in endurance races the previous day.
The ultimate aim of the challenge is to drive innovation in sustainable boating technologies, showcasing clean propulsion systems powered by solar, electric, and hydrogen energies to eliminate CO₂ emissions. As one organiser highlighted, “What we see today are the future standards of boating – quiet, clean, and efficient.”
This record-breaking edition reaffirmed Monaco’s commitment to sustainable yachting and demonstrated how the next generation of engineers is shaping a greener future for the maritime world, blending tradition and technology to redefine what it means to take to the sea.
