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YACHT CLASS n°37 (june-july-august 2024)
José Marco Casellini
Last March, during the Monaco Ocean Week, Monaco Marina Management organised its 2nd Smart Yacht Rendezvous, a networking event around smart and connected yachts.
Written by Aurore Teodoro – Photos : Sébastien Darrasse – Mesi / YCM.
After the success of the Smart Marina Rendezvous, Monaco Marina Management (M3), a leading consulting firm specialising in marina development, launched last year a new event for these marina users, the Smart Yacht Rendezvous. This second edition, which took place at the Yacht Club de Monaco in March was an opportunity for us to take stock with José Marco Casellini, CEO of M3.
How do you assess this 2nd Smart Yacht Rendezvous?
We had high-level attendance. The most important shipyards in the world were there. They are working on the energy transition, but also on innovation, looking for solutions to build boats with environmentally friendly technologies and lower consumption, especially thanks to technologies that allow decarbonisation of their use. There is interest in hydrogen power and other fuels like methanol or hybrid engines. There are also start-ups, even small companies, trying to develop tools and processes to improve efficiency and re-use materials to avoid pollution. We have also seen very interesting battery solutions. This is what we learned during these two days. There are all kinds of companies with different types of products. It’s inspiring to see how far technology has already progressed.
M3 has reviewed several hundred proposals, do you see an acceleration in this area?
Acceleration is exponential. We evaluated 350 companies before selecting about fifty for our catalogue. Then, for these two days, we selected the ten best companies whose products stood out from the others. We invited them to present their innovations. We saw some really remarkable things.
Networking is at the heart of the event, as it is at the Smart Marina Rendezvous. Is this a key point for participants?
Yes. It is a unique opportunity for small businesses to meet with Rolls Royce, Feadship, Oceanco, Siemens, etc. It is great to be able to have direct contact with them, to talk to them, to think about how to solve all the problems. These kinds of events, in a neutral venue, add value to the whole industry. We really want to create a network of users and experts working in the same direction.
Any new features in this second edition?
Organisationally, no, but in terms of products, yes. Two years ago, companies were presenting prototypes, and sometimes even just ideas. Today we already have useful tools, applications and results. This is the most interesting part, I think. For example, one company presented batteries that are more efficient than those used in Tesla’s cars and that are suitable for use in ships. It’s inspiring to have this type of demonstration here. This edition is truly international, with some companies coming from very distant places like Canada or the United States. This has given us great satisfaction.
Smart Innovative Yacht Awards
Start-up Composite-Recycling, pour une technologie permettant de recycler les matériaux composites utilisés dans la construction des bateaux ou d’éoliennes, afin de produire de nouvelles unités. Scale-up Greenboat, qui propose des fibres moins polluantes, plus durables et légères, capables de rivaliser avec les fibres de verre. Start-up Composite-Recycling, for a technology recycling composite materials used for boats or wind turbines, in order to build new vessels. Scale-up Greenboat, which offers more sustainable and lighter fibres, that can compete with glass fibres.
