By Shailesh Yadav
Monte Carlo [Monaco], July 3 (ANI): The 11th edition of the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge (MEBC) has commenced, featuring 450 engineering students from 40 universities across 25 nations.
Team Sea Sakthi from Kumaraguru College of Technology is the sole Indian team to qualify for the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge for the third consecutive year.
Charlotte Mille, Head of MEBC, told ANI that this year’s event is “bigger and better than ever.” Hosted at the Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM), the MEBC welcomes teams from India, Indonesia, Chile, and Peru for the first time. The competition includes 25 nations participating in three classes: Energy Class, Solar Class, and Open Sea Class.
Each team has built their boat and propulsion system using electric and hydrogen technology. The Solar Class relies on solar panels to power the boats, aiming to generate universal electricity.
The Open Sea Class, featuring 15 participants from the industry, began as the Offshore Class in 2018 and has evolved to include commercial electric boat entries and prototypes from students and teams seeking to develop their projects beyond the strict regulations of the Energy and Solar classes.
“This time we made the cockpit and developed a system that monitors the health of the pilot. We hope our performance will surpass last year’s,” Yugabharathi, the leader and pilot of Team Sea Sakthi told ANI.
Team Sea Sakthi won the communication prize last year. The team, comprising 15 young engineers from various branches, shares a vision of creating a sustainable future in the maritime sector. Their relentless pursuit of sustainable excellence drives them to advocate for sustainable alternatives.
Launched in 2014 as a solar-boat-only competition for 23 teams from 10 countries, the MEBC has since expanded.
The Offshore Class was added in 2015, the Energy Class in 2018, and the Conference, Exhibition, and Job Forum in 2019, which also featured the first Monaco Hydrogen Round Table, coinciding with the participation of two hydrogen boats in the Challenge. (ANI)
