A France 2030 award-winning project

MAURIC is a partner and technical coordinator of the VECTRA project, selected under the CORIMER Low-Carbon Vessels call for projects, operated by ADEME on behalf of the French Government as part of the France 2030 investment plan. The announcement was made on 24 August 2026 by Philippe Tabarot, Minister for Transport, and Catherine Chabaud, Minister Delegate for the Sea.

VECTRA stands for Vedettes 100 % ÉleCtriques de Travail RApide, which translates as 100 % Electric Fast Pilot Boats. The project is led by the Marseille-Fos pilots, in partnership with MAURIC and Alternatives Énergies.

The goal: to design, build and trial in real operational conditions a fast pilot boat fully powered by batteries, zero emission, capable of operating in up to Sea State 4 beyond sheltered harbours. It will be engineered for the real-world conditions that shipowners and maritime pilots face every day, with no compromise on safety margins, seakeeping or operational reliability.

For MAURIC, this is a major naval architecture challenge. Coastal pilot boats in the 12 to 17-metre range, whether pilot boats, rescue craft or patrol vessels, share a demanding operational profile: service speeds of 15 to 20 knots, short but intensive sorties, and operations in heavy weather. No electric solution currently exists for this segment. Going full electric requires a complete rethink of the vessel's architecture: reduction of hull resistance through hydrodynamic optimisation and hydrofoil integration, weight reduction using advanced composite materials suited to pilot boat operations, and integration of high energy density batteries compliant with professional vessel regulations.

What sets VECTRA apart is that the specifications are being written with the end users themselves. The Marseille-Fos pilots are not simply clients; they define the operational constraints, validate the technical choices and will operate the prototype for two years under real conditions from the port of Marseille.

The project spans 60 months from October 2026: 12 months of design studies, 24 months of demonstrator construction, followed by two years of instrumented sea trials in service.

VECTRA's ambition is industrial. The concept is designed from the outset for series production across the full range of coastal pilot boats. The Marseille-Fos pilots plan to progressively renew its fleet and subsequently make refurbished units available to other pilot stations in mainland France and overseas territories. MAURIC will leverage the design for other vessel types, and Alternatives Énergies will bring its high-density battery technology to further maritime applications.

This project is funded by the French Government under the France 2030 plan, operated by ADEME.