Winners of Electric and Hybrid Marine Awards 2024
The 2024 Electric and Hybrid Marine Expo Europe (E&HME) is being held at RAI Amsterdam this week, and winners in the show’s E&HME Awards were announced on June 18.
The E&HME show itself has 200 exhibitors showing electric and hybrid solutions for everything from oceangoing cargo and cruise ships to electric motors for the smallest of fishing dinghys. There is also a 3 day conference covering a wide variety of subjects with over 100 speakers from industry, governments, research institutes, ports, and regulators around the world.
The awards are coordinated by Electric & Hybrid Marine Technology International to recognize and reward the latest achievements and developments across the marine sustainability sector. Nominations can be put forward in any of the 9 categories by anyone working in the industry. Entries are judged and officiated by a panel of international journalists, consultants and industry experts.
Electric and Hybrid Marine Awards Categories
- Environmental achievement of the year – propulsion system design
Celebrating the latest and greatest breakthroughs in electric and hybrid propulsion technologies and system design. - Environmental achievement of the year – vessel design
Recognizing achievements relating to improved vessel sustainability outside of propulsion systems. - Environmental achievement of the year – industry contribution
Recognizing the contribution that a person, company or organization has made to improve environmental responsibility across the marine propulsion industry. - Concept vessel design of the year
This category showcases the brightest and best in conceptual vessel innovation, highlighting ships with electric, hydrogen and hybrid propulsion systems. - New propulsion technology of the year
Recognizing the most important breakthroughs in propulsion technologies from the last 12 months. - Hydrogen technology breakthrough of the year
This award focuses specifically on hydrogen propulsion technology breakthroughs. - Vessel charging innovation of the year
Showcasing the most cutting-edge onboard technologies relating to vessel charging. - Ports and harbour innovation of the year
Acknowledging achievements related to maritime electrification taking place in ports and harbours. - Marine industry supplier of the year
This award champions the suppliers working to enable decarbonization across the marine industry.
The first award, for Environmental Achievement of the Year – Propulsion System Design, was won by Tidal Transit, for the e-Ginny CTV project, which converted a diesel crew transfer vessel to 100% electrical power. Tidal Transit
“With global offshore wind capacity set to soar even further as the UK’s electricity grid continues to decarbonize and increase the share of renewables in the energy mix, it’s now more important than ever to make the transition to electric and hybrid crew transport,” said Tidal Transit’s commercial director, Leo Hambro. “The Electric & Hybrid Marine Awards are a testament to just how pressing this need has become. We’re thrilled to have been recognized for our hard work in designing and engineering a world’s first diesel-to-electric retrofit project, which we truly believe will become the model for the future of low-carbon crew transport.” Vessev
Next up was Environmental Achievement of the Year – Vessel Design, with the trophy being picked up by New Zeland’s Vessev for the VS-9 electric hydrofoiling passenger vessel that has just been launched and is undergoing testing and certification in Auckland. The cutting-edge design includes an innovative foiling system that can reduce hull drag to 20% of that experienced by a comparable, non-foiling craft.
Read: Vessev’s VS-9 passes Auckland testes with ‘flying’ colours
The third category of the evening was the Environmental Achievement of the Year – Industry Contribution award, won by the Ultra Efficient Yacht Project, a collaborative venture led by Optima Electric Yachts and focused on developing hyper-efficient boat designs.
The company’s Optima e10 flagship showed off that efficiency last year when it was the first electric boat to circumnavigate the UK’s Isle of Wight. The ‘stabilized monohull’ enabled a 51 nautical mile (95km) journey in just under 6 hours. Optima
The boat and hull were designed by Optima CEO David Kendall, who said “It has taken four years of development to produce the most energy-efficient yachts on the market with a range of up to 150 miles under battery power alone.Optima is delighted to receive another award, especially from an esteemed publication such as E&H Marine.”
Read: Optima e10 1st electric boat to circumnavigate Isle of Wight
Concept Vessel Design of the Year is a popular new award added in 2023. From a strong field of shortlisted entries, Hurtigruten Norway impressed the jury with its Sea Zero cruise ship concept and was awarded first place.
“We are greatly honoured and proud to receive this award and the recognition of the hard work our employees and our partners have made on this project so far,” said Hurtigruten COO Gerry Larsson-Fedde. “We are still in early stages, and our task now is to pave the way for new innovations and enhance existing ones to align with our goal.” Hurtigruten Sea Zero
German motor manufacturer Molabo, who have pioneered high power 48 volt electric boat motors became a two-time winner this year when it won in the New Propulsion Technology of the Year category. Last year the company won in the same category for its plug and play system and this year was rewarded for the introduction of the Aries R50, the first 50kW electric outboard engine with safe-to-touch voltages. Molabo
Another repeat winner was Genevos, in the Hydrogen Technology Breakthrough of the Year category, which they won in 2023 for their HPM-250 – a 250kW fuel cell module. Genevos
“It’s testament to the great work going on at Genevos that the company has won this award for two years in a row,” said awards chairman and E&H Marine editor-in-chief Matt Ross. “With hydrogen sure to play a key part in marine decarbonization, this category is more important than ever, and the winners are showing what great progress can be made.”
Moving up to larger commercial applications, in the Vessel Charging Innovation of the Year category, Oasis Marine took home the award for the Oasis Power Buoy, an offshore charging solution due to commence a pilot scheme in 2025. Oasis Marine
Managing director George Smith said “We have been pioneering and driving forward offshore charging technology since 2020 with our Oasis Power Buoy development, initially designed for charging windfarm maintenance vessels offshore. To have our work recognized here is a great reflection of the hard work put in by our team.”
The Ports and Harbour Innovation of the Year award was won by Igus for its Mobile Shore Power Outlet (IMSPO), which features a moveable socket that can be positioned to suit the vessel in dock.
“The Igus MPSO addresses a key requirement for port electrification,” said juror Jamie Marley, echoing the feedback from across the judging panel. Igus iMSPO
The final award of the night was for the Marine Industry Supplier of the Year– a category that champions the suppliers working to enable decarbonization across the marine industry. Another closely fought category, this was won by Wärtsilä, with judges citing the company’s leadership position across a whole range of applications and technologies – even beyond the marine sector. Wärtsilä
Thank you to Electric & Marine Hybrid Technology International for the Awards and the information in this article.
