Monaco Energy Boat Challenge

UGENT SAILING

Ghent University

TEAM

UGent Sailing is organised into several focused sub teams: Construction, Electrical, Energy, Design, and Autonomous. This structure allows everyone to contribute where their strengths lie, while still collaborating closely on one shared project. In addition to the core teams, we work with volunteers who contribute whenever their schedule allows, making the team flexible and accessible for students with varying backgrounds and availabilities. Moreover, organisational teams handle sponsorship relations, finances, communication, and the website. Together, we form a highly motivated and collaborative group, driven by enthusiasm, shared responsibility, and the ambition for this project.

Project

Our project focuses on the design and development of an energy-efficient electric boat with a strong emphasis on innovation and autonomy. As we are participating in the AI-class this year, a key aspect of our work is the integration of an AI-driven autonomous system in our boat. This allows students to do research to state-of-the-art machine learning and control techniques for in a real-world maritime context. The boat combines efficient hull design, optimised energy management, and intelligent onboard electronics to maximise performance while minimising energy consumption. Our main objective is not only to perform competitively in the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, but also to create a practical learning platform where students can experiment with sustainable propulsion, autonomous navigation, and smart decision-making systems. Through this project, we aim to bridge theory and practice and contribute to the future of clean and intelligent maritime transport.