MONACO, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, new technologies to reach sustainability in the maritime transport sector take center stage with the SeaLab Class and the OpenSea Class. “Vita has been coming to the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge since 2018 and we've participated every year,” said Luisa Bonello, co-founder and director of the company taking part in the Challenge with three vessels. Vita is one of the 11 teams showcasing their CE certified zero emission prototypes up to 25m that can embark at least three people. So new zero-emission boats aimed at the market. On display and ready to race there is the 5.5m electric rib SeaDog, the fully electric 7m rib Seal and AX/E 25, which is the electric workboat powered by their electric powertrain maker Evoy. All supercharged by the Aqua charging network and fast chargers on the dock. “Monaco has been leading in this space for many years and it's been great to come back here every year and see the challenge as well grow. And for Vita it's been really important to us every single year to be part of this. And we've grown, our marine electrification group has grown along with along with the energy challenge,” added Bonello.
Looking at the SeaLab Class – akin floating laboratories - the focus this year is on pioneering hydrogen technologies, notably with Inocel, co-founded by the explorer Mike Horn. This is its first marine demonstrator with a propulsion chain integrating an Inocel hydrogen fuel cell system. It offers zero direct emissions, performance and autonomy comparable to its thermal equivalent, modular architecture, high-power density and quiet operation. “At the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, we are displaying one our four demonstrators of a boat built with a shipyard in lake of Como, displaying 230 kilowatt of fuel cell on board. We have the same performance as the thermal version of the boat with 75% of the range. It's a good showcase for us to demonstrate that hydrogen, when high power is needed on a long time, can be a good solution,” explained Inocel's Pierre Louis. When it comes to refueling, the ball gets to Nat Power H court. “As NatPower, we are the first developer of a network of hydrogen refueling station in Italy and in the Mediterranean area. We are here to demonstrate the potential of hydrogen for decarbonizing the yachting industry,” said Daniele Falco, CTO of the company that is supplying hydrogen for both the Energy Class and the Open Sea Class. “We have provided the Yacht Club the cylinders that have been used by the teams of the Energy Boat Challenge and we're also refilling bigger vessels for the activities needed here.”
This week Monaco is once again positioning the country as a testing ground for maritime innovation, a unique opportunity to see in action the emergence of concrete proven solutions for a cleaner future for yachting.
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