Few in the superyacht industry today would argue that propulsion systems more sustainable than the traditional diesel options are undesirable. And yet, with various hybrid propulsion systems available on the market for a number of years, why is it that the uptake in hybrid technology has been slower in the superyacht industry than many had hoped? Could it be that the market does not fully understand the benefits of hybrid solutions? Is it that owners are simply not interested in these solutions? Are they seen as a bridging technology before the more fundamental changes to come? Are they deemed to be too expensive when compared with traditional systems?

As part of a far-reaching and ongoing market research project across The Superyacht Group’s portfolio, The Superyacht Agency invites industry stakeholders to have their say on the efficacy of today’s hybrid propulsion systems. Click here to take part in our survey.

In today’s superyacht market almost all respectable stakeholders that take an active role in the design and construction of superyacht projects provide hybrid options for both their in-build and conceptual projects. Furthermore, with almost all stakeholders agreeing that the more sustainable a propulsion system is the more attractive it should be to the end-user, what is the hold-up? Indeed, the benefits of hybrid solutions have been marketed and covered in great detail.

Hybrid propulsion systems allow superyachts to be operated for a limited amount of time without requiring the use of polluting engines or without the need for diesel to power the generators. Not only does this yield benefits for the environment the vessel is operating in, but it also yields various benefits for the guests on board. Who wouldn’t want a superyacht that could run without noise, vibration or pollution? Furthermore, certain hybrid solutions can reduce the space required for propulsion systems and reduce fuel costs.

The need for hybrid technology goes beyond those well marketed that we have all become accustomed to. As regulations increasingly crackdown on polluting systems, a shift towards more sustainable solutions is inevitable, at which point superyachts with legacy systems may find their value decreasing rapidly due to the amount of refit work that would be required to bring them into the present.

However, are the various reasons listed above just a small part of the picture? Could it be that the enticing rhetoric surrounding hybrid propulsion solutions fails to outline the reality of owning and operating them? Why, when hybrid solutions seem like such a win-win, has the market been so slow to adopt the technology in terms of hybrid units delivered as a proportion of total deliveries in recent years?

All responses to our survey will be kept 100 per cent anonymous and respondents will be entered into a draw to win three Executive Memberships to The Superyacht Group’s full suite of platforms and services. Click here or follow the link below to take part in our survey.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/hybridsystem

The future is greener, let’s work together to get there faster! Our results will be shared across the industry to drive solutions to greater adoption of hybrid technologies among the next generation of clients.

If you would like to share your thoughts on this subject matter more directly, please contact newsdesk@thesuperyachtgroup.com and use the subject line 'Hybrid'. We look forward to receiving your feedback.

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