Maritime Innovation Makes a Splash at Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas

“This year’s CES (Consumers Electronics Show) edition was an undeniable success, with lots of exciting technical innovations brought to the forefront. Among them, this French maritime shuttle built with a hydrogen fuel cell system, and several new-generation technologies, stands out as the 2022 Innovation Award winner. Called the NepShuttle, it’s the passenger boat version of a versatile, efficient platform developed by NepTech.

Knowing that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) wants to cut marine toxic emissions by 50% until 2040, the maritime industry is focusing more and more on green technologies. The French company NepTech has developed a platform that can be converted into different models, from cargo vessels to marine shuttles and ferries, with a double purpose. On one hand, it will help reduce pollutant emissions levels, and on the other hand, it will provide alternative means of transportation, for urban traffic decongestion.

Like its other NepTech siblings, the NepShuttle was designed with an impressive range of technologies, meant to cut energy consumption as much as possible, while still being as performant as diesel-powered vessels.

One of the issues with hydrogen fuel cell systems is that they are very heavy and require more volume to deliver the same energy as much lighter conventional propulsion systems. This is why the builder focused on various ways of saving energy. Plus, it integrated a high-density battery system, and high-capacity fuel cells, for longer autonomy.