Monaco Energy Boat Challenge kicks off 13th Edition on Quai Louis II

The programme opened with the Job Forum, held July 7-8, connecting students, recent graduates and major maritime industry players -- including Safe Harbor, Oceanco, Ferretti Group, Azimut | Benetti Group and Lurssen -- for interviews, career advice and networking.

The official opening ceremony took place Wednesday evening, attended by Monaco's Minister of State H.E. Christophe Mirmand, Minister-Councillor for Public Works, the Environment and Urban Development Celine Caron-Dagioni, Vice-President of the Finance and National Economy Commission Karen Aliprendi, Colonel Tony Varo of the Public Force, Director of National Education, Youth and Sports Jean-Philippe Vinci, and members of the consular and diplomatic corps. With that, the prototypes officially hit the water.

More than 500 student engineers from 54 teams representing 21 nations will spend four days testing innovations in hydrogen power, batteries, methanol, artificial intelligence, hydrofoils and new materials -- continuing a Monegasque tradition that traces back to 1904.

Speaking to ANI, Szilard Czibere, Innovation Manager at the Yacht Club de Monaco, explained the structure of the competition.

"This is the 13th edition of the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, which was launched with four distinct classes. We have the AI class, the energy class, and the SeaLab class," he said, describing the Energy Class as focused on "state of the art technologies in the battery industry, electronics, energy efficiency," while the AI Class features boats that "will go on water without even a human supervisor on board", relying on advanced sensor fusion and AI algorithms to detect their environment and make autonomous decisions.

The SeaLab Class, he said, is "our main class, basically the flagship class where advanced naval architecture, advanced technologies in the energy industry" are put to the test. This year, it includes what he called "a first-of-its-kind prototype presented by Twente University, a boat which is using green methanol on board through a direct methanol fuel cell."

Czibere noted a record turnout this year. "We have a record number of participants from all around the world, from Puerto Rico through Europe to China and to New Zealand. 54 participants in total, which is a record on its own."

He described Monaco's role as offering universities and technology companies "a proving ground to come together and really demonstrate their groundbreaking innovation."

Among the record field is Team Sea Shakti from Kumaraguru Institutions, India's sole representative and a five-time participant.

Czibere singled the team out for praise, saying, "The Indian team is a very good example, because they push many challenges, they work as a true team. I think their design is quite a good candidate for the design prize this year."

He added, "By seeing their craft for the first time during the past two days, I expect them to actually have better results than in the previous years. I am really cheering for them."

Speaking to ANI, Harshini Ilavarasu, Creative Media Lead for Sea Shakti, said the team has upgraded across the board this year.

"We have improvised the cockpit by using hemp fiber, and we went with the mono cockpit this year a lot of improvements in the battery system, such as phase-changing material, which helps with thermal cooling," she said.

The team has been shortlisted for two awards this year -- the Prince Albert Award and the Design Award.

"I'm so proud to say that we have been selected for two technological awards. I stand with lots of pride holding the Indian flag on such a big global stage," she said.

Vishruti Pravin Kumar, the team's Communications Lead, added that this year's cockpit design draws inspiration from an unlikely source: "We have a mono cockpit design inspired by the megalodon. We've used a hemp fiber infused with nano cellulose, one of the most easily available materials, but at the same time very sustainable and efficient."

She said the team's new phase-change battery material tackles a recurring industry problem.

"One of the most common problems that we see in the yachting industry is thermal management safety.This one is very cost-effective, at the same time very highly efficient, and helps us increase the thermal management of our battery, helping us in our endurance races."

She added, "This year we are really excited to showcase Indian engineering on the global waters, and we are very proud to be representing India again for the fifth year."

The first on-water event is the E-Boat Rally, a warm-up before racing begins in earnest. Teams will compete in speed, endurance, slalom, manoeuvrability and autonomous-navigation trials, all under identical conditions.

"The Monaco Energy Boat Challenge is unique on many levels, both ashore and at sea. Competitors, professionals and the public mingle in a spirit that promotes dialogue and knowledge sharing," said YCM Director and General Secretary Bernard d'Alessandri.

Two international conferences run alongside the racing: the Advanced Yachting Technology Conference on Thursday, July 9, and the 7th Alternative Fuels Conference on Friday, July 10, organised by YCM and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.

The Monaco Energy Boat Challenge Village, at Port Hercule, is free and open to the public from Thursday to Saturday, offering visitors the chance to view the prototypes, meet teams from around the world, and watch the races up close.

"As a shipyard, we have a duty to lead the way. The Monaco Energy Boat Challenge plays a crucial role in driving the transition to sustainable energy and inspiring the next generation of engineers and innovators," said Peter Lurssen, CEO of Lurssen. (ANI)