Monaco Energy Boat Challenge 2026: SeaLab Class explores the energies of tomorrow's maritime world.

Monaco Energy Boat Challenge 2026: SeaLab Class explores the energies of tomorrow's maritime world

13e Monaco Energy Boat Challenge

Lien vers l'évenement

From 8 to 11 July 2026, the Yacht Club of Monaco will host the 13th edition of the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge in Monaco. This international event is dedicated to sustainable propulsion technologies and is organised with the support of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, UBS, BMW and SBM Offshore. Designed as a space for advanced experimentation, the SeaLab Class embodies the event’s most exploratory dimension. This year, it will bring together six teams working on projects dedicated to exploring new energy architectures and solutions that are scarcely deployed within the maritime sector.

The prototypes engaged in the SeaLab Class are true floating laboratories that make it possible to test emerging technologies under real operating conditions, partially freeing teams from the constraints of immediate performance. The primary objective is to open new avenues, overcome technological barriers, and contribute to collective reflection on future energy systems in the maritime sector. Since 2016, the Dutch team Solar Boat Twente has designed and competed with solar-powered boats. However, this year marks a turning point, as the team will present a vessel powered by a methanol fuel cell. This technological choice offers an alternative to electric and hydrogen architectures, and raises broader questions about the role of transition fuels in the decarbonisation of the maritime sector.

Other projects further enrich this experimental dynamic. The Delft Hydro Motion Team is taking on the challenge of designing, building and racing a hydrofoil boat powered by liquid hydrogen. By combining innovative hydrogen technology with cutting-edge hydrodynamics, the team aims to advance sustainable maritime transport by improving hull design and integrating a liquid hydrogen storage system. The Técnico Solar Boat team is exploring designs that combine hydrogen and foiling technology. Meanwhile, the Swiss Solar Boat team is presenting a high-performance solar-hydrogen foiling boat designed for efficient, zero-emission navigation. The vessel can carry one pilot and two passengers, reach a maximum speed of 35 knots and has a range of 160 km. By bringing together projects with significant exploratory potential, the SeaLab Class is establishing itself as a vital platform for developing the energy solutions that will be needed to support the maritime sector’s transition in the years to come.