MONACO, Sept. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The transition towards lower-carbon shipping and yachting was at the center of the 31st Captains’ Forum at the Yacht Club de Monaco, bringing together captains, shipowners, fleet managers, shipyards, engineers and industry experts to examine the technologies and operational changes shaping the future of maritime energy.

Held under the theme 'Future Energy Sources Onboard Ships and Yachts', the forum, supported by Oceanco, MB92 Group, ICON Yachts and Jutheau Husson, addressed international regulations, alternative fuels, energy efficiency, vessel conversion and emerging propulsion technologies. The discussions highlighted that the energy transition is not based on a single solution, but on a combination of technologies, operational choices and the ability to adapt existing vessels.

The discussions also looked at a broad range of alternative energy sources and fuels, including HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil), ammonia and hydrogen-derived fuels such as methanol, as well as hydrogen itself. Nuclear power was also discussed as a potential long-term option for certain types of maritime applications, highlighting the wide range of technologies being considered as the industry looks for alternatives to conventional fossil fuels.

Nicolas Millot, Chairman of the France Branch of the Nautical Institute, highlighted the growing regulatory documentation on commercial shipping and the need for the yachting sector - owners and crews - to get ready and work together to reduce emissions. “We need to understand” the regulations, he said, while also looking at measures such as changing fuels, weather routing and adapting vessel operations. For yachts, which are not subject to the same IMO requirements as merchant vessels, voluntary initiatives such as the Yacht Club de Monaco’s SEA Index can provide an alternative framework for measuring and improving environmental performance.

The forum also explored the potential of refitting and converting existing vessels rather than building new ones. Marek Hasenkopf, Business Development Manager at Icon Yachts, said an existing vessel can have a “structural and also environmental advantage” over a new build. In one conversion project, 95% of the existing hull and superstructure were reused, representing around 2,900 tons of steel and avoiding the emissions associated with producing new material.

For Jean Guyon, CEO of Aeroforce, the future can go further. “We decided to go very, very far into 100% electric,” he said, describing the company’s MODX 70 catamaran, which combines solar power, battery storage and automated wing sails capable of generating electricity while sailing.

Technology, however, must also be usable by those operating the vessels. “Captains are very important,” Guyon said. “They need to be very confident that it’s working” and properly trained to use new systems.

The forum ultimately positioned the energy transition as a collective effort, bringing regulation, technology, shipbuilding and onboard experience together to reduce emissions and support cleaner maritime operations.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.