Monaco Energy Boat Challenge Celebrates 11th Edition at Yacht Club de Monaco

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The prestigious 11th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge has taken center stage at the Yacht Club de Monaco. This year, the event has drawn over 450 students from more than 40 universities across 25 nations, each competing to showcase their innovative “boat of tomorrow” projects.

Jeremy Laguarrigue, the Jury president, detailed the competition’s structure: “We have three main categories: Energy Class, Solar Class, and Open Sea Class. In the Energy Class, we provide the same hull to all teams, who then develop their own cockpit for the driver, energy storage, and engine. This category features diverse energy sources, including battery energy, hydrogen fuel cells, and others. The Solar Class focuses on solar-powered boats, with teams utilizing over 9 square meters of solar panels. Lastly, the Open Sea Class includes industry-certified boats competing in various activities to demonstrate speed, maneuverability, and efficiency.”

The competition has attracted 18 teams for the Energy Class, 13 teams for the Solar Class, and 15 teams for the Open Sea Class, all vying for the top honors in this groundbreaking event.

Participating for the first time is team Riviera Racing from Cambridge University. “We’ve been given the hull, which is standard across al the teams and we’ve gone for hydrogen power, electrical and then for two pods on the back of the boat as well”, said Annabel Gray. “It’s very daunting to see all the teams but they’ve all been incredibly helpful. There’s such a great culture of helping each other when we got a few different problems. It’s just been incredible so far”.

In the Open Sea Class the Riva El-Iseo catches the eye on the quay: “We’re extremely glad to participate for the second year in a row to the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge. El-Iseo is a full-electric Riva, the first boat coming from Riva and the Ferretti Group with a full-electric propulsion that opens up a new segment in the yachting business: we called it e-luxury. It’s the first boat fully certified by Rina, with a complete electric propulsion at zero emission. The boat is already available in the market and not only for those who have an ecological approach but also to have access to limited waters”, said Enrico Sgarbi, director of communication Ferretti Group.

Supported by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, UBS, BMW, and SBM Offshore, the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge has garnered significant attention and backing from industry giants such as Monaco Marine, Oceanco, Ferretti Group, Azimut/Benetti Group, Sanlorenzo, and Lürssen. These prominent names are eager to contribute to the transformation of yachting. For the young competitors, this event offers valuable opportunities to connect with industry leaders and explore job offers and internships through the Job Forum.