UAE Business: SeaBubbles in deal to manufacture flying boats in UAE – Gulf Digital News

UAE Business: SeaBubbles in deal to manufacture flying boats in UAE – Gulf Digital News

Innovative French firm SeaBubbles has signed an agreement with local solutions provider Al Masaood Power Division for joint collaboration on manufacturing of hydrogen-powered flying boats in the UAE.  

Inspired by the Emirates’ pearl-diving heritage, the sustainability-focused X-Pearl - a brainchild of SeaBubbles - is powered by a hybrid hydrogen-electric propulsion system and retractable foils, and available for purchase, said senior officials after signing the MoU at the region’s largest leisure marine event, Dubai International Boat Show, which concludes tomorrow (March 13).

The agreement will see both parties collaborating to pilot and assess the performance of hydrogen-powered flying boats, manufacture and maintain operations in the emirates, and retrofit existing boats with SeaBubbles’ sustainable powertrain system.

SeaBubbles’ crafts can carry up to 12 passengers and a pilot, making them ideal for a range of water mobility solutions: electric passenger vessel, zero-emission water taxi, VIP shuttle, or even for inter-city transfers. 

By producing minimal wake and water disturbance, it also provides a solution for eco-tourism sightseeing tours in protected areas such as the Eastern Mangroves wetland reserves.

While scaled models of both its flagship H2 and the X-Pearl were unveiled on Wednesday at Dubai Harbour, the company hopes to have the