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.

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.

While scaled models of both its flagship H2 and the X-Pearl were unveiled at Dubai Harbour, the company hopes to have the limited-edition UAE model zipping along Dubai Creek, Dubai Canal, or Abu Dhabi Corniche before next year’s COP28.

"The Dubai International Boat Show is iconic, so it felt like the perfect opportunity to reveal the X-Pearl to an international audience and showcase that we are moving towards this ecological transition together with Al Masaood," remarked Virginie Seurat, Vice President of SeaBubbles.