Nablawave

The advantages of our propulsion system, compared to competitive solutions, are even more numerous:
1. decrease in hull resistance, due to ingestion of the boundary layer, resulting in lower fuel consumption
2. increased thrust efficiency at low speeds: instead of running only one engine at part load (which is highly inefficient), some engines will run at optimal conditions, others will be switched off
3. increased manoeuvrability, as the speed and thrust of each engine can be controlled
4. decrease in propeller draft, particularly important in shallow waters
5. ease of installation on hydrofoils
6. greater safety for man and fish (closed propeller) and less water turbulence for less impact on the marine environment.
There are also some cons: increased complexity of controls and potential increase in production costs: however, we believe we can keep production costs low due to the reduced number of batteries, increased modularity and elimination of gearboxes.

The electric boat market was valued at $4.58 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach $9.01 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 12.65% during the forecast period (2021 - 2026). At Nablawave, we want to target the electric propulsion market, estimated at 1-1.5 billion. The interesting fact about this market is the high growth expected in the coming years, which will be driven not only by increasing demand, but also by new emission laws and regulations.
Our technology solution is perfectly suited to the growing market for electric boats: its adoption will increase the efficiency with which power is managed and distributed in a boat compared to current electric configurations, freeing up even more market potential; moreover, its implementation is only possible with hybrid or full-electric propulsion configurations, which would not be feasible with older diesel engines. We expect that not all boats and boat sizes will benefit equally from our solution; therefore, a first step in the business development process will be to identify the boats and boat sizes that will benefit most from our propulsion system. The following steps are envisaged:
1. determination of the positive benefits for different boat classes
2. development and testing of the prototype on the smallest possible scale (power boats, pleasure boats)
3. development of partnerships with shipyards on pilot projects at different scales
4. evaluation of partnerships with companies interested in the industrial production of propulsion system components; during this time Nablawave will make the decision to license its patent to a production partner (retaining IP royalties and R&D activities) or to establish a spin-off company focused on the development and commercialisation of the propulsion system
5. pre-sales of retrofit systems for small boats
6. serial industrialisation of small propulsion system modules
7. development of larger modules for larger vessels

Yes, we have a patent pending.

Our technology is still under development.

Ships are estimated to cause up to 40% of air pollution in Mediterranean coastal cities. A report by the French Ministry of the Environment states that ship pollution causes around 6000 premature deaths in the Mediterranean each year. Our project is related to the development of an innovative, emission-free electric propulsion system for boats and ships. Nowadays, the use of electric motors in the marine sector is seen as a problem because of the enormous amount of energy storage required to achieve a reasonable range for the boat: large volumes of batteries, fuel cells or a combination of the two are needed to compete with traditional diesel-powered boats. Our patented technology will decrease the energy storage required for electric boats, helping to increase the adoption of more sustainable and green electric propulsion. This will have a positive impact on coastal areas in particular, as it will accelerate the transition to electric boats. In particular, if our technology is successful in the market, ports and port cities like Taranto will experience a reduction in air pollution.
If production is carried out in partnership with large companies in Puglia, the reconversion of old production facilities could be an opportunity for new jobs in the area. In addition, high-tech companies that have emerged in Apulia in recent years, with a focus on electronics and advanced manufacturing, will also be involved in the project.