Tummolo (Saim Marine): "The SeaDrive pods save engine room space and are easy to use."

Among the many accessories distributed by Saim Marine are electric motors developed and manufactured by the Norwegian company SeaDrive, which are suitable for both motorboats and sailing boats. SUPER YACHT 24 spoke with Roberto Tummolo, sales manager of the Lombardy-based company's Marine division: "Our catalog includes SeaDrive motors, an electric propulsion system consisting of an azimuth pod that currently delivers a maximum of 20 kW. Its main feature is that both the mechanical transmission and the motor are inside the pod itself, thus saving space in the engine room. The pod is flanged to the hull and connected to an electronics box. Everything is sent back to the bridge via CAN bus cables, where a joystick controls the engine."

What are the strengths of the system?

"The solution developed by SeaDrive has three key features: Everything is integrated inside, taking up no space in the engine compartment other than the electronics—in fact, no one else does that—and the pods can be azimuthal, meaning they can rotate 360°, as well as fixed. Another feature is that up to four pods can be mounted on a single joystick and managed in an integrated and coordinated manner, thus providing unparalleled maneuverability."

What are the power sizes? 

The current offering consists of three pods with power outputs of 7, 15, and 20 kW. The first is suitable for boats between 7 and 9 meters, the second and third can be used on boats up to about 12 meters, but the 20 kW pod can reach higher speeds, while the range depends on the battery pack installed on board. The company is already working on developing power outputs up to 50 kW.

Do you have any collaborations with any construction sites? 

We're working with a shipowner in Venice who'd like to install two 20-kW pods on a luxury taxi designed for the Venice Film Festival. Currently, shipyards generally focus on these applications only when specifically requested by the client or for special projects. Furthermore, Italy continues to postpone the closure of marine areas, and as a result, boaters are still not required to adopt electric propulsion, which is an obstacle to its widespread adoption. Furthermore, regulatory requirements are still lacking.

What future do you see for this technology?

Unlike the automotive sector, the nautical sector faces the substantial problem of not being able to have charging stations in the middle of the sea. Starting from this initial obstacle, I see an evolution similar to that of the automotive sector in terms of logic, but more limited in terms of numbers. With current regulations, we will see some applications, likely due more to marketing and communication concerns than to a genuine interest in sustainability. Electric vehicles will certainly be one of the technologies that will help the transition to sustainable mobility in general, but they won't be the only one.

An example?

"Over time, hydrogen and new HVO fuels will also be developed, and it's precisely with regard to the latter that I'm always amazed at how the focus is on developing integrated technologies involving generators, hydrogen, and fuel cells, which are still complex, rather than immediately running engines and generators on these fuels, which already exist and allow for drastic emissions savings. So, electric will be one of the propulsion methods we will have in the future, but the transition is a very long one."

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