At the Europort maritime trade fair, Daan Posthumus, a student at TU Delft, unexpectedly walks up to a yellow and blue booth.
Joël Smit from MSA-Service introduces him to Multiped, the platform for industrial data collection and reporting. Little does Daan know, this will become a turning point for the ambitious Hydro Motion Team, which faces a major challenge: crossing to the UK in a hydrogen-powered boat. What follows is a series of crucial tests, technical breakthroughs, and unexpected obstacles. But how did Multiped help them overcome this great challenge? And what role did the system play in the success of this groundbreaking mission? Here’s an interview with Daan Posthumus, computer science student at TU Delft and enthusiastic team member of the Hydro Motion Team 2024.
The challenge: from 0 to the UK in 1 year
The Hydro Motion Team faced a huge challenge: developing a hydrogen boat capable of crossing to the UK within a single year. This was no ordinary project; combining hydrogen technology with challenging weather conditions and the open sea created complex technical requirements.
The biggest challenge? Stability. High waves and unpredictable winds demanded innovative solutions to keep the boat as stable as possible. Daan and his team opted for longer struts to minimize the impact of the waves, but that alone wasn't enough. "We needed a way to collect and analyze large amounts of data quickly so we could develop faster," says Daan.
The impact of Multiped during the concept phase
Back to the beginning. During the early phases, it became clear that waves and unpredictable weather at sea would be major obstacles. Previous teams struggled with instability due to high waves, so the Hydro Motion Team decided to use longer struts. These struts, which lift the boat above the water surface, were extended to 1.6 meters (compared to the previous team’s 1.34 meters). Daan explains, "One of the criteria was 0.8 significant. Very ambitious."
He continues: "We put a lot of effort into simulating the flight system. We used Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to understand how the boat would behave under different conditions. These simulations generated so much data that we needed a smart way to monitor and trend it. Thanks to my earlier contact at the fair, we knew we had to get in touch with the MSA-Service team. They set up Multiped for us. The initial experience was already very positive. Having direct insight into the results of simulation adjustments was a huge benefit."
Hydro Motion Team: measuring as much as possible
“Then came the design phase. We set ourselves the goal of measuring as much as possible on the boat for the best possible outcome. After presenting the boat, we immediately started construction. The hull was made of carbon, chosen for its light weight and great strength. All data onboard was collected via a CAN-bus system, with the aim of developing advanced software to process the data. However, this proved to be a huge challenge. Fortunately, Joël offered his help, as he and his MSA-Service team had experience with these kinds of systems. Together with the Hydro Motion Team, they connected the CAN-bus to Multiped using a converter. Everything was then safely installed in a waterproof housing."
The first Hydro Motion Team with real-time data during testing
“After installation, we began the test phase. At that moment, we were incredibly grateful to have Multiped available. Thanks to this system, we had real-time access to data from every subsystem, allowing us to see if everything was functioning properly down to the smallest detail. We needed to sail as efficiently as possible while optimizing the boat's stability, and every bit of data counted.
In the center of the boat, we installed an IMU motion sensor, and at the front, a highly accurate altimeter. This allowed us to immediately see which settings worked best during testing. Where the previous team manually pulled data from the CAN-bus and searched for the optimal settings, we could watch live from a chase boat how the boat responded to adjustments in the struts.
We saw real-time subsystem settings on a dashboard, tracking consumption, speed, altitude, stability, and motor settings. And with remarkable precision - Multiped processes 1,000 signals per second, enabling us to analyze every detail of deviations.
The true strength of Multiped is the ability to trend, compare all the data, and quickly identify optimization opportunities. Thanks to this approach, our testing phase went twice as fast as usual, with maximum savings on hydrogen consumption as a result. Within two days, we had the boat flying, and that gave us a huge thrill!"
The ultimate Hydro Motion crossing: served & saved by data
The crucial moment arrives: the crossing. Daan says, “Right at the start of the crossing, we noticed that the boat wasn’t sailing smoothly. We checked Multiped, and the first data showed a motor issue. We zoomed in on several parameters and quickly discovered that the insulation between the high and low voltage systems wasn’t in order. This was a dangerous situation, especially since carbon is a good conductor of electricity. Thanks to Multiped, we could quickly locate the problem, take action, and continue sailing safely.
But that wasn’t the end of it. Through Multiped, we discovered that a pump had also failed. In Zeebrugge, we installed a new pump before continuing the crossing. Thanks to Multiped and the MSA-Service team, we made it in the end. What an amazing collaboration and fantastic tool!”
Hydro Motion Team: a model for the maritime sector
Daan is convinced that data can advance maritime sustainability and research: “I chose to join the Hydro Motion Team because I want to make a positive, sustainable impact in the maritime sector. With this research, we aim to set an example of what maritime sustainability looks like.”
Julia Overbeek, one of the new team members facing the next challenge with the Hydro Motion Team in 2025, adds: “We are focusing on maximizing maritime sustainability. I can already reveal that we will be using sustainable composites. I’m really excited!” Daan closes with a smile: “You’ll need Multiped more than ever.”
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