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Santelmo
, the startup founded by two young Milanese men born in 1991, Michele Chierici, a nautical engineer, and Marta Ghirardelli, an architect specializing in complex construction, unveiled at the Fuorisalone in Milan a revolutionary line of truly eco-friendly boats made of aluminum alloy and powered by hydrogen.
For its nautical debut Santelmo chose the Fuorisalone in Milan. Innovative startup, embedded within the Noi Techpark incubator in Bolzano, aims to. the goal of revolutionizing the boating world. How? With a range of models never before seen on the market: yachts built of aluminum alloy, equipped with green hydrogen-powered propulsion (fuel cells) and composed of more than 90 percent reusable materials.
“We realized that there is a lack of truly sustainable boats on the market, both for the environment and for the operators working on them. Our goal is to offer the best-performing environmentally sustainable yachts on the market, combining the best technologies with the highest degree of environmental and social sustainability, from construction to use to disposal of the boat itself. In addition, the construction process will be made more efficient by avoiding road transport: the hull, deck and superstructure will be made by Bloemsma, a well-known Dutch shipyard, and then transported by ship.”
Attention to environmental impact is confirmed of the key features of the range. The materials from which the yachts are made are 90 percent reusable – a great advantage for the problem of disposal at the end of the boat’s life – and the construction of the boats does not involve road transport. The hull and superstructure are in fact made by Boesma, a Dutch shipyard based in Makum, and then transported by ship to Sardinia, where the yacht is fitted out and then delivered to the owner, again by sea.
The startup is also studying new solutions for hydrogen sourcing. Santelmo, in cooperation with a number of partners, is engaged in establishing a network of refueling stations at major ports in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. Hofer Powertrain, a Germany-based supplier of propulsion systems, will be responsible for the fuel cell-powered electric thrusters installed on the new boats.
The first model will be unveiled in September 2024 : F50P. A 15-meter shuttle, which we glimpsed under a weave of fabric threads from the installation The Weaving of Details, designed by Santelmo and DKT Artworks (a team of artists and craftsmen specializing in the production of high-end decorative finishes), whose layout responds to the growing desire for deep contact with nature. Special focus was placed on the design of the wide open spaces and the driver’s station, which provides a wide view and easy maneuverability. Subsequent models in this first line will have different lengths and interior layouts adaptable to the needs of owners.
James Barbaro
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