Oceanvolt’s ServoProp 25 Wins DAME Design Award at METSTRADE 2023

METSTRADE 2023, the world’s largest trade exhibition for marine equipment, recognized Oceanvolt’s HighPower ServoProp 25 with a coveted DAME Design Award. The accolade highlights the rapid rise of electric propulsion solutions and underlines Oceanvolt’s growing influence in the marine electrification movement.

This year’s DAME Awards featured the highest number of electric propulsion entries in the competition’s 32-year history, reflecting a clear industry shift toward cleaner, quieter power systems. While the propulsion category previously saw innovators such as Oceanco win for an electric sail drive in 2017, Oceanvolt’s top placement in 2023 demonstrates strong progress in design, efficiency and practical application.

Alec von Weissenberg, Commercial Manager for ServoProp, emphasized that the market now expects more than a simple electric motor and gearbox. “It isn’t enough to produce an electric motor with a drive. We wanted to provide fresh ideas, extra features and versatility for boat builders and users, enabling more choice over how they operate the system,” he said. Oceanvolt’s approach couples proven electric propulsion components with thoughtful features that meet real-world demands from yacht designers, builders and owners.

Rather than adopting off-the-shelf motors that may not optimally turn a propeller shaft, Oceanvolt’s engineering team developed custom components to maximize shaft and propeller efficiency. The company used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to refine the hydrodynamic shape of the propulsion leg, improving flow and reducing losses around the propeller and housing. This attention to detail is a key contributor to the system’s award-winning performance.

The ServoProp 25 operates on a 48V DC architecture and is designed for flexibility in installation: it can be mounted facing aft or forward, though Oceanvolt notes that a forward-facing configuration typically delivers higher efficiency by improving inflow to the propeller. The system’s design balances compact packaging with the torque and cooling capacity needed for extended cruising and maneuvering.

Cooling is a critical element for high-performance electric drives, and Oceanvolt addressed this with a seawater-fed cooling circuit engineered to keep temperatures low under load. Electric motors tend to benefit from lower operating temperatures, and the ServoProp’s cooling strategy supports sustained output without overheating while improving overall reliability.

Targeted at yachts approximately 45 to 70 feet in length, the ServoProp 25 fills a demand for efficient electric propulsion on mid- to large-size sailing and power vessels. Oceanvolt also continues research and development work aimed at broadening its product range, which could lead to optimized solutions for smaller boats in the future.

The DAME award recognizes not only performance and engineering but also usability and the potential to influence wider adoption. By offering a compact, efficient and well-cooled propulsion unit with installation flexibility, Oceanvolt aims to make electric drives a practical option for more boatbuilders and owners. The ServoProp 25’s combination of CFD-informed leg design, custom mechanical components and seawater cooling demonstrates how modern electric systems can match or exceed expectations previously set by traditional internal-combustion propulsion.

For boatbuilders, naval architects and buyers evaluating propulsion options, the ServoProp 25 represents an attractive blend of efficiency, practicality and forward-looking technology. As the industry continues to prioritize lower emissions and quieter operation, innovations like Oceanvolt’s ServoProp are likely to play a growing role across the recreational and commercial sectors.

Read more about the award and Oceanvolt’s development at METSTRADE via METSTRADE’s published coverage.