This year we will sail between the Netherlands and the United Kingdom
Our Scope
This year we will sail between the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. We will become the first fully hydrogen-powered boat to cross the North Sea. Our mission is to propel the maritime and energy industries towards a sustainable future.
Our Design
This year’s design focuses on seaworthiness and distance since we are crossing the North Sea, covering approximately 400 km of sailing between the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. To ensure that the boat can navigate through the rough waters of the North Sea, we decided that it was time to scale up the size of our boat. This resulted in an 8-meter-long and 2.65-meter-wide boat, providing more stability at sea. With the long struts underneath the boat, we are able to fly above the high waves of the North Sea. Additionally, our cruising speed is set at 40 km/h, ensuring that we can cover the 400 km of our journey within one day. Check our Design Reveal on the right to see more details of the design of our boat!
Our History
Our journey started 18 years ago with the TU Delft Solar Boat Team. In the beginning of the Solar Boat Team, we sailed in inland waters and later on made the switch to the open sea where we became World Champions for the first time in 2019. After proving the application of solar power as an alternative for fossil fuels in the maritime industry, we challenged ourselves to prove the possibility of another green fuel option. In 2020 the Hydro Motion project was born, and the world’s first foiling hydrogen-powered boat was created. This culminated in Hydro Motion conquering the Open Sea Class of the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge by becoming World Champions in 2023!
The Problem
With all this effort, we noticed that the maritime sector was slowly moving towards a more sustainable industry and after all these great accomplishments we asked ourselves what our next step would be? The technology is there. The knowledge is there. All we have to do now is implement it and use it to our benefit, but how ready is the world for a sustainable maritime industry sector right now? During the development of our boats, we have observed that not every waterway or harbour is equipped to support vessels operating on a renewable energy source similar to ours.
Our solution
It is time to push for systemic change if we want to make the next step towards a sustainable maritime sector. We are determined to compel companies and governments around the world to amend their legislation, mandating the inclusion of hydrogen-powered vessels and the development of additional infrastructure crucial for the green energy transition.
Together with our partners, we will design, build, test and sail a foiling hydrogen-powered boat in just one year. The strength of hydrogen lies in its endurance capacities due to its high energy density. In order to demonstrate this strength, we focus on the application of hydrogen fuel in seaworthy vessels to cover long distances. To show the capabilities of our boat, we will sail between the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
Join us in our journey full of challenges, and welcome aboard the next wave.
