Professional Diploma in Clean Technologies for Yachts and Ships
This professional diploma gives you the expert knowledge and tools to lead the transition towards sustainable navigation on yachts, superyachts and ships. You will learn to reduce a vessel's carbon footprint with renewable energy, efficient propulsion, cleaner hotel services and better waste management, so that you can meet the most demanding environmental regulations and become a key professional in the future of the nautical and maritime industry.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this program gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
You are starting from scratch in this subject. The program is designed precisely for that.
What is the Professional Diploma in Clean Technologies for Yachts and Ships?
This professional diploma covers the full range of clean technologies that can be designed into a new vessel or retrofitted to an existing one. You will study the IMO decarbonisation strategy, MARPOL Annex VI, EEDI, EEXI, CII and SEEMP and regional schemes such as the EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime; electric and hybrid propulsion, batteries and DC grids; hydrogen, fuel cells, methanol, ammonia, LNG and biofuels; solar, wind-assisted and hydro-generation systems; low-drag hulls, eco-friendly antifouling and sustainable composites; efficient HVAC, lighting, water treatment and shore power; and sustainable operation, green maintenance and the safety of new fuels.
What sets this diploma apart: it is written with both yachts and commercial ships in mind, so you will see how silent-mode operation, hotel load and green retrofits work on superyachts as well as how carbon intensity ratings apply to passenger and cargo vessels; it looks beyond propulsion to hotel services, materials, end-of-life recycling and crew practices; and it ends with an integrating project in which you prepare a complete green transformation plan for a yacht, superyacht or passenger vessel, from the initial energy audit to the clean propulsion architecture, regulatory compliance and life-cycle cost analysis.
Program highlights
- Environmental regulation: IMO GHG strategy, MARPOL Annex VI, EEDI, EEXI, CII, SEEMP, EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime.
- Electric and hybrid propulsion: PMSM motors, pods, LFP and NMC batteries, BMS, DC grids and silent mode.
- Alternative fuels: hydrogen and fuel cells, green methanol, ammonia, LNG and bio-LNG, HVO and well-to-wake analysis.
- Onboard renewables: marine PV with MPPT, wind-assisted propulsion, hydro-generation and waste heat recovery.
- Efficient hulls and hotel load: air lubrication, eco antifouling, sustainable composites, HVAC, LED and shore power.
- Integrating project: green transformation plan for a yacht, superyacht or passenger vessel.
Syllabus of the Professional Diploma in Clean Technologies for Yachts and Ships
8 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Environmental regulatory framework, decarbonisation and IMO targets
- 1.1. The IMO strategy on reduction of GHG emissions: decarbonisation targets for 2030 and 2050 for the maritime and nautical industry
- 1.2. MARPOL Annex VI: regulations on sulfur oxide (SOx) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and emission control areas (ECA/SECA)
- 1.3. Energy efficiency indices (EEDI and EEXI): calculation formulae and technical requirements for existing and new-build ships
- 1.4. Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) and the A-E rating: operational calculation methods, corrective action plans and mandatory ratings
- 1.5. Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP): implementation of Parts I, II and III for monitoring consumption data
- 1.6. Emissions trading and regional regulations: impact of the EU ETS, the FuelEU Maritime initiative and local rules for yachts
- 1.7. Green certifications and eco-badges: environmental certification schemes (Green Award, RINA Green Plus, Lloyd's Register eco notations)
- 1.8. The IMO greenhouse gas strategy
Electric and hybrid propulsion systems and energy storage
- 2.1. Hybrid and fully electric propulsion architectures: series, parallel and diesel-electric systems and their efficiency on yachts and boats
- 2.2. Marine electric motors: permanent magnet motors (PMSM), induction motors, azimuth propulsion pods and electric waterjets
- 2.3. Battery technologies for the marine sector: lithium-ion chemistries (LFP, NMC), energy storage, density and cycle life
- 2.4. Battery management systems (BMS) and safety: prevention of thermal runaway, cooling and fire detection
- 2.5. Solid-state batteries and ultracapacitors: technological advances for high-power storage and energy demand peaks
- 2.6. Inverters, converters and DC distribution (DC grid): direct current distribution networks to reduce energy losses
- 2.7. Integration of silent-mode systems: zero-emission navigation, overnight stays without generators (hotel load) and reduced acoustic signature
- 2.8. Battery thermal management
Alternative fuels: hydrogen, ammonia, methanol and biofuels
- 3.1. Hydrogen as an energy carrier: cryogenic and compressed storage, safety on board, IGF Code requirements and nautical projects
- 3.2. Fuel cell technology: PEM and SOFC cells, integration on yachts, electrical performance and management of purified water
- 3.3. Green methanol as a marine fuel: properties, storage at ambient temperature, dual-fuel engines and system retrofits
- 3.4. Green ammonia (NH3): potential as a zero-carbon fuel, toxicity challenges, safe handling and leak mitigation systems
- 3.5. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) and biogas (bio-LNG): current state of the technology, emission reductions and methane slip
- 3.6. Second- and third-generation biofuels: HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil), FAME and their use as an immediate drop-in solution
- 3.7. Fuel life-cycle assessment (well-to-wake): analysis of the overall environmental impact from production to consumption at sea
- 3.8. Safety in bunkering alternative fuels
Renewable energy on board: solar, wind and hydro-generation
- 4.1. Marine solar photovoltaics: flexible, rigid and high-efficiency panels (PERC/heterojunction) and their integration on yacht decks
- 4.2. Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) systems: optimizing solar capture under partial shading and vessel motion
- 4.3. Wind-assisted ship propulsion (WASP): rigid sails, kites and Flettner rotors and their application on superyachts and commercial ships
- 4.4. Hydro-generation: generating electricity from propeller rotation while under sail
- 4.5. Small-scale wind generation: quiet marine wind turbines, blade design and vibration control on board
- 4.6. Waste heat recovery (WHR): organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems that convert exhaust heat into electrical energy
- 4.7. Integrated energy balance design: optimizing the use of renewable sources to cover accommodation service demand
- 4.8. Hydro-generators and regeneration under sail
Hydrodynamic efficiency, sustainable materials and hull design
- 5.1. CFD-based hull form optimization: reduction of resistance, optimized bulbs and hydrofoil-assisted hulls
- 5.2. Air lubrication systems (ALS): injection of microbubbles under the underwater hull to reduce water-hull friction
- 5.3. Eco-friendly antifouling paints: controlled-release biocides, silicone/fluoropolymer coatings and antifouling films
- 5.4. Sustainable composite materials: bio-based resins and basalt, flax and recyclable fibers in yacht construction
- 5.5. Lightweight structures for weight reduction: recycled aluminum, optimized carbon fiber and eco-friendly sandwich panels
- 5.6. Low-consumption stabilization systems: electric fin stabilizers, passive tanks and high-efficiency gyroscopes
- 5.7. Design for dismantling and recycling (end of life): assessment of vessel circularity and the inventory of hazardous materials (IHM)
- 5.8. Low-friction coatings
Efficient management of hotel load and shore power
- 6.1. Optimizing HVAC consumption: variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems, energy recovery and inverter chillers
- 6.2. Shore power (OPS / cold ironing): connection to the shore grid and standardization of sockets, frequency and voltage for yachts and ships
- 6.3. Low-consumption lighting systems: marine LED technology, home automation, occupancy sensors and management of thermal loads
- 6.4. Efficient treatment of drinking water and wastewater: reverse osmosis desalinators with energy recovery and MBR treatment plants
- 6.5. Thermal insulation and smart glazing: low-emissivity (low-E) and electrochromic glass and high-density insulating materials
- 6.6. Smart energy management on board (EMS): algorithms for automated control of demand and power distribution
- 6.7. Circular economy in onboard services: elimination of single-use plastics, management of organic waste and biodegradable products
- 6.8. Onshore power supply in ports (OPS)
Sustainable operation, green maintenance and retrofit
- 7.1. Sustainable navigation strategies: slow steaming techniques and route optimization according to weather (weather routing) and currents
- 7.2. Green retrofit processes: conversion of conventional yachts to hybrid or zero-emission propulsion
- 7.3. Eco-friendly maintenance of the hull and systems: underwater hull cleaning with debris capture and prevention of invasive species
- 7.4. Management of environmentally acceptable lubricants (EAL): Vessel General Permit (VGP) rules, synthetic oils and water lubrication
- 7.5. Real-time digital emissions monitoring: CEMS sensors and IoT telemetry for continuous measurement of gases and consumption
- 7.6. Crew training and awareness: good operating practices on board, environmentally responsible behavior and internal audits
- 7.7. Risk and safety management in clean technologies: hazard identification (HAZID/HAZOP) in the handling of new fuels
- 7.8. Crew training in new technologies
Integrating project: green transformation plan and sustainable design of a vessel
- 8.1. Definition of the study vessel: selection of a pleasure yacht, superyacht or passenger ship for green optimization
- 8.2. Energy audit and initial emissions profile: calculation of the current carbon footprint, consumption patterns and CII/EEXI assessment
- 8.3. Design of the clean propulsion architecture: selection of the optimal combination (batteries, fuel cells, hybrid or alternative fuels)
- 8.4. Integration of renewable sources and efficiency on deck: design of the photovoltaic array, choice of coatings and HVAC improvements
- 8.5. Regulatory compliance and safety plan: verification of compliance with IMO instruments (IGF, MARPOL, SOLAS) and class requirements
- 8.6. Economic feasibility and life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA): estimation of initial investment (CapEx), operating savings (OpEx) and return on investment
- 8.7. Presentation of the transformation plan
- 8.8. Final presentation: defense of the sustainable engineering project before a committee of naval architects, engineers and environmental consultants
Duration and format of the Professional Diploma in Clean Technologies for Yachts and Ships
It is 800 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Professional Diploma in Clean Technologies for Yachts and Ships
Career opportunities after the Professional Diploma in Clean Technologies for Yachts and Ships
Questions about the Professional Diploma in Clean Technologies for Yachts and Ships
On all three. It covers clean propulsion and fuels, sustainable materials and hull design for construction, and green maintenance and retrofit for vessels already in service.
No. Beyond propulsion it deals with onboard renewables, hotel load and shore power, water and waste treatment, sustainable materials, end-of-life recycling and crew practices.
Both. Many examples come from yachts and superyachts, such as silent-mode operation and green retrofits, while the regulatory content on EEXI, CII, the EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime is especially relevant to commercial and passenger vessels.
Hydrogen and fuel cells, green methanol, ammonia, LNG and bio-LNG and biofuels such as HVO and FAME, including bunkering safety and well-to-wake life-cycle assessment.
Not necessarily. A related degree or experience in the maritime or energy sector is enough; the admission interview confirms that the program fits your profile.
Through practical exercises and case studies in each module and an integrating project in which you prepare a green transformation plan for a vessel, including energy audit, propulsion architecture, compliance and life-cycle cost analysis.
A professional diploma issued by Navalis Institute, together with the transformation plan and technical work you develop during the program.
Fully online, through a virtual campus available 24/7 with live sessions that are recorded and personalized tutoring. The diploma comprises 800 hours across 8 modules of 100 hours each.
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Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at naval architects and engineers, yacht and fleet owners and managers, maritime professionals, engineering and environmental science graduates and shipyard and port technicians; a degree in naval, mechanical, environmental or chemical engineering, environmental sciences or a related field, or demonstrable experience in the maritime or energy sector, is recommended, and basic knowledge of marine propulsion, renewable energy and maritime environmental law is helpful.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date web browser and a headset with microphone for the live sessions.
- Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrollmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enroll
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.