As the global marine industry accelerates toward decarbonization and intelligent technologies, electric propulsion is evolving beyond simply replacing conventional combustion engines. It is now reshaping how boats are operated, experienced, and managed. With their inherently digital and electronically controlled architecture, electric propulsion systems provide the ideal foundation for intelligent boating, making smart control the next major frontier for the industry.
ExploMar has announced that it will globally debut its Smart Captain System and Smart Fleet Platform during the 2026 Monaco Energy Boat Challenge. The launch represents another significant milestone in ExploMar’s product evolution and marks the company’s transition from a high-performance electric propulsion provider to a comprehensive intelligent boating solutions provider.
Unlike conventional combustion engines, electric propulsion systems are built upon an integrated electronic control architecture. Power delivery, battery management, steering, navigation, positioning, and onboard communications can all be interconnected through a unified digital platform, creating the foundation for intelligent vessel operation.
Traditional combustion-powered boats, by comparison, rely on largely independent systems for engines, steering, throttles, and onboard electronics, making data integration difficult and significantly limiting the development of advanced intelligent functions.
Built upon this vision, ExploMar developed Smart Captain to bring navigation, propulsion, safety, and digital connectivity together into a single intelligent platform, enabling boats to continuously evolve much like today’s smart vehicles.
Designed around real-world on-water scenarios, Smart Captain integrates propulsion control, intelligent navigation, safety management, and remote connectivity into a unified software platform. By continuously optimizing the boating experience and energy efficiency, it enables vessels to evolve much like today’s smart vehicles.
The system intelligently adapts power delivery and energy management to different operating conditions, delivering smoother, more precise, and more efficient performance. In challenging situations such as docking and navigating confined waterways, intelligent maneuvering assistance helps simplify vessel handling, making boating easier and safer for users of all experience levels.
Smart Captain also incorporates GPS-based dynamic positioning, electronic anchoring, remote diagnostics, and multiple intelligent safety features to improve operational reliability while establishing the technological foundation for more advanced intelligent navigation and autonomous capabilities in the future.
Alongside Smart Captain for individual boat owners, ExploMar is also introducing Smart Fleet, an intelligent fleet management platform that extends electric propulsion beyond individual vessels to support entire fleets and future digital water transportation networks.
The platform provides real-time connectivity between vessels, propulsion systems, and operational data. Through remote monitoring, asset management, operational analytics, and predictive maintenance, Smart Fleet helps operators improve fleet efficiency, optimize operating costs, and maximize asset utilization.
Designed for applications including tourism, boat rental, public service, and commercial operations, Smart Fleet enables smarter and more efficient fleet management while creating new opportunities for intelligent marinas, digital ports, and the next generation of connected water mobility.
As one of the world’s most influential international events dedicated to sustainable marine technologies, the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge brings together leading universities, research institutions, and innovative companies to accelerate the development of next-generation marine technologies.
During the 2026 event, ExploMar will not only introduce Smart Captain to the global market but will also showcase multiple boats powered by ExploMar electric propulsion systems throughout the competition and exhibition, demonstrating the company’s latest achievements in propulsion performance, system integration, and intelligent control.
For ExploMar, Monaco represents more than a product launch—it serves as an international stage to showcase China’s innovation in high-performance electric propulsion technology.
ExploMar Founder and CEO Alex Dong commented:
“Over the past several years, the industry’s primary focus has been electrifying boats. Looking ahead, the bigger question is how to make boats truly intelligent. Smart Captain is far more than an intelligent control system—it reflects ExploMar’s vision for the next generation of vessel architecture. We believe electric propulsion will become the foundation of intelligent boats, seamlessly integrating propulsion, safety, control, and digital connectivity to deliver a safer, more efficient, and smarter on-water experience.”
Looking ahead, ExploMar will continue advancing innovation across high-performance electric propulsion, intelligent vessel control, energy infrastructure, and digital fleet management platforms. By deeply integrating propulsion systems, energy systems, and intelligent control technologies, the company is expanding the technological boundaries of electric boating.
From electric propulsion to intelligent navigation, from single-vessel control to fleet-wide management, and from propulsion products to a comprehensive ecosystem, ExploMar is driving the global marine industry toward a smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable future.
