TN students emerge as only Indian team set to compete in international sustainable boat building challenge

A 10-member student team from Tamil Nadu has become the only squad in the country to compete in the 10th edition of the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge (MEBC), aimed at promoting green innovation in the Yachting industry by encouraging students and researchers to build boats focused on zero-emission propulsion and sustainability, which is scheduled to be held in Europe next month.

The students of Kumaraguru College of Technology, Coimbatore on Wednesday received Rs 15 lakh sponsorship offered by the Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Mission (StartupTN) from Chief Minister M K Stalin at the Secretariat here to take part in the international event, a press release said.

'Team Sea Sakthi' has emerged as the only team from India to compete in the MEBC organised by the Yacht Club De Monaco, the release said The contest is scheduled to be held between July 2 and 8 at Monaco city.

The students, who had built a Hydrogen-powered energy boat christened Yali 2.0, would be competing against 16 teams hailing from various countries.

The boat is equipped with a carbon-fibre fabricated cockpit and has an 8.4kWh Lithium-ion battery as pre-set primary energy source and 2kW fuel cell and 400W solar panel as a secondary energy source.

Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises T M Anbarasan, Startup TN Mission Director and CEO Sivarajah Ramanathan and senior government officials were present when the sponsorship cheque was handed over to the students by Stalin on the occasion.