Monaco Energy Boat Challenge Testing the Future of Boating with AI and Electrification

Scott Way
Jul 3
3 min read

The 12th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge is underway as boatbuilders and engineers explore how electrification and AI will shape the future of boating.

The event runs July 1st-5th at one of recreational boating's busiest hubs - the cozy nation state on the French Riviera where prime weather and stunning coastline attracts everything from dayboats to superyachts. The event is organized by Yacht Club de Monaco with the support of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, UBS, BMW and SBM Offshore as co-sponsors.

The event is built around connecting academia with the marine industry in a shared mission to advance sustainable boating technologies through real-world testing and application.

Prince Albert of Monaco also attends the event each year to speak with the teams. His foundation, FPA2, is one of the main sponsors of the event. The foundation's philosophy is "to protect and progress the health of our planet, with a focus on biodiversity, climate, the ocean, and water resources."

According to Jeremie Lagarrigue, President of the Jury Committee, “This year there is more people, more boats, more involvement of the industry. Plus, we have a new category, a new Class named AI. Not only Artificial Intelligence, but also having some boats that are representing the drone industry. The boat can do some maneuvers themselves, they can dock themselves, they can go for missions themselves—so something very new.”

This year's event is divided into four classes. The AI Class makes its debut this year, while the Energy Class challenges teams to integrate next-generation systems into standardized hulls. The SeaLab Class serves as a floating testbed for emerging technologies, particularly hydrogen. And lastly, the Open Sea Class features CE-certified, zero-emission yachts up to 25 meters in length capable of carrying at least three passengers.

Combined they represent nearly the full range of recreational, and potentially commercial, applications in boating, meaning it's the ideal testing ground to see how new tech will fare across a broad spectrum of boat designs, hull shapes, and electronics suites.

The introduction of AI will also explore how well AI-driven vessels can operate autonomously and how accurately, and safely, they can replace some tasks typically reserved for captains or crew.

The impressive evolution of hydrogen prototypes in the industry also offers insight into what the future of propulsion could be. Major companies like Yamaha and Yanmar are already developing hydrogen engines that could potentially replace the longstanding internal combustion engine.

“We have AI directly integrated into the battery management system in order to optimize the management of energy on board,” said Lagarrigue. “We have also a new internal combustion engine running on hydrogen that might be a good option for the yacht industry on retrofit… having less weight, better performance and starting to be more and more competitive with the battery technology.”

At this year's event, the new AI category is likely to draw the bulk of the attention. Poland’s AGH Solar Boat team is fusing LiDAR, 3D cameras, and AI algorithms to navigate autonomously. Hungary’s BME Solar Boat Team has a lightweight solar-electric race boat designed for autonomous missions.

“The main focus of the AI class is to develop and implement autonomous boats that have to complete full autonomous tasks using different types of technology, sensors and AI techniques,” said Maria Marcello of the AI Technical Committee. “The introduction of AI this year is very important because it helps to push the technology to its boundaries.”

The overlap between the Energy Class and the electrification trend across boating is also front and center. In the Energy Class, Qatar University’s Sambuk Racing has debuted the first solid-state lithium battery in the event’s history. Scotland’s Heriot-Watt University, running in the SeaLab Class, has presented a compact solid-state hydrogen storage system. Scottish firm Plus Zero is testing a hydrogen internal combustion engine — also a first at the event — that is paired with a unique storage solution that generates hydrogen through a chemical reaction with water.

The trickle-down effect to the industry's mass producers likely won't take long. The distribution of next-gen propulsion systems has already begun with large manufacturers -- Volvo Penta recently unveiled a fully electric IPS drive system for the first time ever, and a hybrid diesel-electric yacht from Azimut proves that yachts and superyachts can utilize alternative power despite their size and capacity needs.

In total, all 36 of the boats competing in this year's Challenge are powered by electricity in some form. A surprising 12 are operating using hydrogen to generate electric power, and there are 12 hydrofoil designs.

You can watch highlights of Day 1 of the event below: