Captains and experts gather in Monaco to examine the technologies and fuels shaping the future of yachting
The 31st Captains’ Forum, held at the Yacht Club de Monaco on 24 September 2026 during the Monaco Yacht Show, brought together 128 superyacht captains and international experts to examine one of the industry’s most important questions: which energy technologies and fuels can realistically power the ships and superyachts of the future?
Organised in partnership with Jutheau Husson, Oceanco, MB92 Group and ICON Yachts, the forum examined a wide range of solutions, including wind, solar, batteries, HVO, methanol, hydrogen, LNG, ammonia and nuclear power.
One conclusion emerged clearly: there will be no single solution for every yacht.
The most appropriate technology will depend on each vessel’s operational profile, range, available space, infrastructure, regulations, cost and the maturity of the technology.
From batteries to hydrogen
Several technologies are already being used at sea. Discussions highlighted the growing role of hybrid and electric systems, with battery capacity needing to be carefully balanced against the additional weight it creates.
HVO offers a more immediately practical pathway, although fuel availability varies by region. Methanol can provide another option through dual-fuel systems, while hydrogen fuel cells are already moving beyond laboratory development.
More complex solutions such as LNG, ammonia and nuclear power face significant challenges, ranging from storage requirements and infrastructure to regulation and safety.
The infrastructure challenge
Perhaps the most important discussion was not about the boats themselves, but what happens around them.
As Philippe Esposito of DH2 Energy explained, the technology is increasingly available, while refuelling infrastructure remains a major obstacle, particularly for hydrogen. A recent mobile hydrogen-refuelling demonstration in Alcúdia, Mallorca, was highlighted as an example of how this infrastructure challenge is beginning to be addressed.
For the captains participating in the forum, this practical perspective is essential.
As the Yacht Club de Monaco emphasised, captains are the people who ultimately have to make these technologies work in real operating conditions — translating innovation developed on paper into solutions that function at sea.
The future of superyacht propulsion may therefore not belong to one winning technology, but to flexible energy systems designed around the individual yacht and the way it is actually used.
