MONACO, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Exploring the potential of alternative fuels in the maritime sector. During the days of the 12th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge (1-5 July), at the Alternative Fuels Conference on Friday morning, different actors gathered together to discuss technology aspects, challenges, and advancements related to marine energy solutions based on alternative fuels, including hydrogen, methanol, and other innovative sources. Clean hydrogen is still the starting point when it comes to clean energy sources, but now it is time to investigate more to make the next step. As of now, the technology is ready, but it has to be accompanied by infrastructure, investments and supply chain. From an infrastructure point of view, the evolution could be the same as it occurred with oil in the past. “We are looking at the full value chain, a bit like if it was a pipeline. We only provide one piece of the puzzle, but it is a big one. The ecosystem is made of a vessel that will transport, for example, green ammonia from Australia to Korea to Japan in bulk format. Basically, we help owners thanks to our expertise in owning and leasing large floating units,” said Philippe Lavagna, product account manager at SBM Offshore. “We say we need a transition, and it takes time. Miracles don't happen overnight. That's why we are committed to provide clean solutions to the industry,” he added.

“Talking about renewables, if we think about availability, then HVO—fuel based on hydrogenated vegetable oil—is out of the list because is not available at a large scale and same goes for nuclear. If we look at safety, then we have to exclude ammonia for yachting and passenger vessels. Then, if we take hydrogen into consideration, we also have to think that we need to have a high energy density to store it on board of a yacht. Therefore, it is out of the list as well. That is why, in my opinion, methanol will be the fuel of the future, also considering that it can be used both for fuel cell and combustion,” said Bernhard Urban, Head of Development & Innovation at Lurssen. Sharing the view on the perks of methanol is Simone Bruckner, R&D director at Sanlorenzo. The Italian shipyard last year launched a 50-meter superyacht that uses a green methanol fuel cell reformer to produce emissions-free power for the hotel load onboard. “Getting methanol is not too complicated,” Bruckner underlined. “It is available and the price is very competitive. Plus, if you want to be carbon neutral, therefore excluding CO2 emission as well, you need green methanol.”

“At the moment, green methanol in Italy is not available, and we have to purchase it in Germany, for example, meaning that we have to move a truck from there to do the refueling of the fuel cell, and this shows that the problem is the infrastructure, the availability and how to manage the methanol, not the technology and how to use it,” he pointed out.

Organized by the Mission for Energy Transition, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, and the Yacht Club de Monaco, the 6th edition of the Hydrogen and Alternative Fuels Conference was the occasion to put under a spotlight technology awareness and innovation for the maritime and yachting sectors.

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