NatPower H and Bluegame have completed Italy’s first hydrogen refuelling for marine use, and one of the first in the world. This took place on board the BGH, the zero-emissions chase boat that will fly at 50 knots alongside the American Magic and the French Orient Express Racing teams during the 37th America’s Cup.
With this refuelling operation, Bluegame and NatPower H have announced a partnership that sees these two highly innovative companies allied in developing a long-term strategy to support the energy transition in the boating sector.
Their goal is to promote the use of hydrogen in leisure boating and revolutionise a sector committed to environmental sustainability and technological progress. This combination of skills will pave the way for entirely emissions-free boating in the future.
The refuelling of the BGH with green hydrogen was successfully performed in the Sanlorenzo shipyard of La Spezia at a pressure of approximately 180 bar. Carried out by NatPower H, the operation took 30 minutes and officially kicks off the testing phase of the two boats, which will culminate with a final refuelling at a pressure of 350 bar, scheduled for next month (July 2024).
“The story of Bluegame is a story of courage. The courage to continue to dare – Memento audere semper (always remember to dare), as Gabriele d’Annunzio would say,” says Carla Demaria, CEO of Bluegame.
From the creation of the first unconventional BG boat to the recent technological challenge of designing and building to comply with the very demanding America’s Cup protocol, BGH represents the pinnacle of sustainability possible today.
This project is part of the ‘Road to 2030’ global sustainability strategy of the Sanlorenzo Group, a pioneer in the path towards carbon neutrality. The exclusive use of hydrogen as a propulsion system is a complete novelty not only for Bluegame and the Sanlorenzo Group but for the entire leisure boating sector; it is therefore not an endpoint but a starting point.
“The completion of the chase boat’s refuelling is an operation that revolutionises the Italian and international boating market, paving the way for new generations of zero CO2 emission boats,” comments Andrea Minerdo, CEO of NatPower H. “NatPower H has set out on this new route by creating the world’s first comprehensive infrastructure for hydrogen refuelling in leisure boating.
“This project also marks a new direction in the way we sail. By using hydrogen as a green fuel, we can redesign the boating industry to be more mindful of the beauty of the environment and responsible for the fragility of our marine ecosystem. The commitment and partnership between NatPower H and Bluegame represent the first significant step towards the green transition in the yacht and superyacht industry.”
To find out more, contact the Sanlorenzo Yachts UK team via [email protected] or +44 (0) 2380 450 001.
