Marine Innovations

Vessev, a water-transportation start-up company, has just unveiled its slick, America's-Cup-style hydrofoil, 10-passenger electric ferry called the VS-9. It's being touted as the most accessible electric commercial vessel ever – not to mention efficient and green.

For four years, orcas have been ramming and sinking luxury yachts, and scientists finally have an idea why. No, it's not their anticapitalist 'eat the rich' agenda, nor is it to do with territory and aggression. The truth is, well, it's child's play.

A luxury superyacht is the testbed for green hydrogen technology as the ship, formally known as Project 821, is put in the water at Feadship's Amsterdam base. It's the largest motor yacht ever launched in the Netherlands.

French company Seabike has developed a swimming device that uses your own leg power to accelerate you through the water at superhuman speeds. This crank-driven pusher prop looks a bit like an underwater unicycle... We'd love to take one for a spin!

A newly described species of marine reptile could be the largest to ever swim the world’s oceans. The “giant fish lizard” lived more than 200 million years ago, and may give the blue whale a run for its money, size-wise.

An underwater expedition off the coast of Chile has discovered 160 species not known to live in the region, at least 50 of which are new to science. The information will inform marine protection strategies for important regions in international waters.

An age of greener, more efficient shipping may be in the offing as a specially modified 43,000-tonne bulk freighter completes a six-month sea trial using a combination of diesel engines and a set of high-tech automatic sails to catch the wind.

Sharrow's extraordinary looped propellers were already some 30% more efficient than traditional designs – and now the company has put two of them together into a coaxial, contra-rotating prop that promises to be even more energy-efficient.

Hovering uncannily close to the waves, the Airfish-8 carves its way over water three times quicker than a boat, and 2.3 times more efficiently than an aircraft. Singapore's ST Engineering has announced its first orders, set to enter service in 2025.

Yamaha previously announced it would show a prototype hydrogen outboard at the 2024 Miami Boat Show. Instead of simply revealing the motor, it's installed it on a prototype boat complete with fuel delivery system. Testing will begin this year.

A remarkable pilot project installed on a 240-m (787-ft) container ship has proven it's possible to capture at least 78% of emissions from the smokestacks of cargo ships and convert the CO2 into limestone pebbles, which can be offloaded and sold.

Despite how cute 2001's Finding Nemo's clownfish was, these colorful animals have a dark side. Scientists have found that they will 'count' another clownfish's white stripes, and will viciously attack any visitor that happens to look just like them.