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Refuelling the future
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By combining their unique skills, Sanlorenzo’s Bluegame and NatPower H are paving the way for entirely emissions-free boating through the use of green hydrogen.
BGH is a zero-emissions foiling chase boat in the 37th America’s Cup later this year
Italy’s first hydrogen refuelling for marine use – and one of the first in the world – recently took place on board the BGH, the zero-emissions chase boat that will fly on foils at 50 knots alongside two major teams during the 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona from August to October this year.
This breakthrough is the result of a partnership between NatPower H – the world’s leading developer for the production, storage and distribution of green hydrogen and part of the NatPower Group – and Bluegame, which is highly regarded for Italian excellence in boat building and a member of the Sanlorenzo Group.
NatPower H performs the 30-minute refuelling operation at Sanlorenzo’s shipyard in La Spezia, Italy
With this refuelling operation, this collaboration between Bluegame and NatPower H sees 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 – approved and supervised by the Port System Authority of the Eastern Ligurian Sea – was performed successfully at the Sanlorenzo shipyard in La Spezia at a pressure of approximately 180 bar. The 30-minute operation was carried out by NatPower H and officially kicks off a testing phase that culminates this month with a final refuelling at a pressure of 350 bar.
Using foils, the chase boat can reach speeds of around 50 knots
“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,” said Bluegame CEO Carla Demaria.
From its origins with the creation of the first unconventional BG boat – which defied categorisation and created its own segment in the sector – to the recent technological challenge of designing and building to comply with the very demanding America’s Cup protocol, BGH is a hydrogen-powered chase boat that will fly on foils at 50 knots with zero emissions (apart from a few drops of water) alongside the American Magic and the French Orient Express Racing Team challengers in the 37th edition of the America’s Cup.
BGH represents the pinnacle of sustainability that is possible today, and the 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 thus not an endpoint but a starting point,” Demaria added.
BGH represents the pinnacle of sustainability that is possible today
“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,” said Andrea Minerdo, CEO of NatPower H.
The testing phase will culminate this month with a final refuelling at a pressure of 350 bar
“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.”
