Palumbo Shipyards and Palumbo SY Refit: Partners of the MEB Team for the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge 2025

In a context where sustainability is increasingly at the heart of global attention, the sea stands as a vital resource to protect, making it essential to explore innovative and responsible solutions.

It is in this spirit that Palumbo Shipyards and Palumbo SY Refit, business divisions of Palumbo Group, reaffirm their commitment to promoting cutting-edge and environmentally conscious technological projects by supporting the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge (MEBC), an international competition dedicated to sustainable boating, scheduled to take place from July 2nd to 5th at the Monaco Yacht Club.

The Palumbo Group has chosen to support the team from the University of Messina, highlighting the importance of involving new generations in projects that combine technology, research, and environmental protection.

Supporting initiatives like the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge allows Palumbo Group to strengthen its bond with local communities where each of its shipyards operates, actively contributing to their development. This commitment translates into investments and initiatives that foster growth and innovation, creating a positive and lasting impact while stimulating economic and social progress in the region.

With the "MEB - Messina Energy Boat" project, the university team from Sicily (University of Messina) has been selected to participate in the twelfth edition of the MEBC in the "Energy Class" category with their boat "Guglielmino 2.0", dedicated to Professor Eugenio Guglielmino, long-time Director of the Department of Engineering. As the only team representing central and southern Italy, the group of students will compete against 21 other teams from 14 different countries. MEB was created in September 2022 with the ambition of spreading a maritime culture throughout the Strait of Messina area. In previous editions, the project achieved remarkable results, ranking 7° in 2023 and 5° in 2024.

Thanks to the collaboration with Palumbo Shipyards and Palumbo SY Refit, the MEB team can count on essential support that bridges the academic world and the development of new technologies in a highly competitive context, leveraging state-of-the-art technical solutions for the design of both the cockpit and the propulsion system of their boat.

With over 50 years of experience in ship maintenance and repair, Palumbo Shipyards, part of Palumbo Group, is a recognized leader in the international maritime sector. With five shipyards located in Messina, Naples, Malta, Marseille, and Rijeka, the group services over 600 ships per year, offering repair and conversion solutions. Palumbo Shipyards Messina stands out as one of the most strategic hubs of the group, specializing in vessels up to 270 meters in length and providing highly skilled technical support. Also part of the group, Palumbo SY Refit is the largest refit and repair network for superyachts in the Mediterranean. With seven shipyards in strategic locations such as Malta, Marseille, Naples, Messina, Ancona, Savona, and Rijeka, and a representative office in Monaco, Palumbo SY Refit offers fast and specialized support for superyachts in a constantly evolving sector.

"Palumbo Group believes in innovation and in the growth of young talents. In each shipyard, we invest in training and development opportunities. Over the years, we've often collaborated with universities on research projects, and we're proud to support pioneering technologies and initiatives. We strive to create a dynamic and cutting-edge environment that fosters professional growth and success," said Dr. Alessandra Latino, Managing Director of Palumbo Shipyards Messina.

The MEB team has already had the opportunity to visit the shipyard—an occasion to engage with various technical teams, engineers, and the management of Palumbo Shipyards Messina to plan the work and outline a project roadmap.

The team consists of about 30 members, including students, PhD students, and professor from the Department of Engineering. The team includes:

• Prof. Vincenzo Crupi (Faculty Advisor)

• Prof. Gabriella Epasto (Vice Faculty Advisor)

• Giuseppe Brando (Team Leader)

• Giovanni Briguglio (Team Liaison)

• Gabriele Barraco (Pilot)

• Fabio Distefano and Vittorio Geraci (Design Responsible)

• Francesca Maria Larosa (Communications and Marketing Responsible)

• Daniele Rizzo and Marco Pavan (Propulsion Responsible)

"The support of academic institutions and the arrival of new partners are, for us, key reasons and conditions to grow, innovate, and face future goals with determination. That's why we want to express our sincere gratitude to our esteemed Rector, Prof. Giovanna Spatari, and the Director of the Department of Engineering, Prof. Ernesto Cascone, for their invaluable and continuous support throughout all stages of the project. A special thank-you also goes to our sponsors, Palumbo Shipyards and Palumbo SY Refit, with whom we've established a synergistic and inspiring collaboration as we look ahead to the upcoming challenges," said Giuseppe Brando, Team Leader of Messina Energy Boat.