Since it was founded as a spin-off of the Lake Lucerne Navigation Company, Shiptec has drawn on over a century of shipbuilding and maintenance experience. The company combines deep-rooted maritime expertise with a strong focus on innovation and sustainability. Hannah Barnett spoke to Managing Director Dr Ronald Perren and Sales Manager Thomas Oswald to learn more.
From its base in Switzerland, Shiptec is actively shaping the future of inland navigation. Through a combination of digitalisation, automation and sustainable propulsion technologies, the company’s ambition is to redefine mobility on water.
With an impressive portfolio that includes serial hybrid propulsion systems, parallel hybrid propulsion systems and fully-electric drive systems, plus hydrogen fuel cell and battery propulsion, the company has made a mark in the inland shipping sector.
“Shiptec is now the leading engineering company for marine technology in Switzerland and, in this way, unique within the country,” said Dr Perren. “We are providing mobility solutions on water, and we are improving our ecological footprint by offering emission-free transport. It is very motivating to be doing something that nobody else is.”
A solid foundation
When Shiptec was founded in 2012, it was not starting from scratch. Parent company the Lake Lucerne Navigation Company (SGV) is a dynamic business with a long tradition stretching back to the 1830s. This heritage allowed Shiptec, which already existed internally, to be innovative from the start. With a turnover around €30 million, the company employs a skilled team of nearly 100, including 25 highly specialised engineers.
“Our maintenance and shipbuilding capabilities are almost 191 years old,” said Dr Perren. “We decided to become an independent company to better serve the market of external customers, not only internal ones.”
The company welcomed the delivery of MS Saphir in its inaugural year, 2012, as Shiptec’s first vessel featuring an alternative propulsion system. Designed as a premium yacht-style cruise vessel, MS Saphir immediately set new standards in passenger experience and design on Swiss lakes.
The vessel has continued to be innovative. Last year, the company launched a pioneering retrofit project, integrating a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system on MS Saphir. The project is the first of its kind in inland Europe and the vessel is due to become operational on Lake Lucerne by the end of 2026.
“This has been a real highlight and is something very new,” said Dr Perren. “We did the full homologation based on the risk-based process with the class societies (Lloyds Register) and the local authorities (FOT). It was the same in the car industry 20 years ago, but now they have regulations. But in the shipping industry, there is not yet any really good regulation for using hydrogen as a fuel in a ship.”
Alongside this significant step towards zero-emission navigation via hydrogen, back in 2017 the company also launched MS Diamant, Switzerland’s first climate-neutral scheduled passenger vessel. With its parallel hybrid propulsion system, it too represented a milestone in sustainable shipbuilding. Additionally, Shiptec’s first electrification project came in 2022 with MS Heimat – the first fully-electric passenger vessels in German-speaking Switzerland.
Developing innovation
Perhaps the jewel in the crown of Shiptec’s innovative skillset comes in the form of its modular digital system EcoShip, designed to capture, analyse and process vessel data.
Onboard sensors continuously collect the data via a measurement computer, with pre-processing performed on board. Relevant data is then transmitted to the cloud for real-time analysis. Reports, live monitoring and smart assistance systems support crews in operating at peak efficiency and enable management to make sound long-term decisions.
“EcoShip is our answer to the digital transformation of inland navigation and a key enabler of greener operations,” Dr Perren explained. “As a modular and scalable system, it combines decades of maritime expertise with cutting-edge digital technology. It is designed specifically for the needs of passenger shipping and can be easily retrofitted to existing vessels.”
By transforming such complex operational data into clear, actionable insights, EcoShip empowers operators to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, increase operational efficiency, reduce maintenance costs and improve decision-making in real time. The next stage, however, will be full automation.
“Our final goal is to have autonomous ships,” said Dr Perren. “The first step is digitalisation, and the second step is creating all these data-assisted systems. There are many things that can be forecasted. And, ultimately, that will result in an autonomous boat that will do everything itself.”
“One of the key challenges we have addressed is making advanced data analytics accessible and usable in daily operations,” added Sales Manager Thomas Oswald. “EcoShip bridges this gap by providing intuitive, practical tools that deliver measurable value across entire fleets.”
Building bonds
For a company as innovative and with as much longevity as Shiptec, a portion of its success must be derived from long-term business relationships. For instance, Swiss ship operator Walensee Schifffahrt has been a key development partner for EcoShip. This meant that all modules, reporting tools and the latest digital passenger counting system could be tested in real operations before market launch.
Shiptec also maintains a strong partnership with shipyard services group Meyer RE, based on mutual knowledge exchange and a shared supplier network. Both companies have an ethos that combines traditional shipbuilding expertise with innovative solutions.
“In addition, we act as sales and service partner in Switzerland for leading manufacturers such as Volvo Penta, Schottel, Aventics, Böning, and Deckma,” said Mr Oswald. “For governmental and special-purpose vessels, we collaborate with partners such as Marine Alutech, Alunaut, Barro Boats and many others.”
As a company that rarely provides off-the-shelf solutions, Shiptec also fosters equally close relationships with customers. This means every project starts with a deep understanding of the client’s specific requirements, which are then developed into fully-customised solutions combining technical excellence, economic efficiency and long-term sustainability.
“This client-centric approach, combined with our engineering expertise and innovative mindset, clearly differentiates us in the market,” said Dr Perren.
Moving forward
Shiptec will bring its vision to enable emission-free, economically viable and highly flexible passenger transport on water to SMM this September. What is so special about the Hamburg-based event?
“The pleasure yachting sector is already well covered by trade fairs, but SMM is one of the only events in Europe that is dealing with professional boats, and it only takes place every second year,” said Dr Perren.
Further down the road, the company’s strategic focus areas include the continued development of zero-emission propulsion systems with both electric and hydrogen technologies, as well as the expansion of EcoShip and other digital solutions.
“The biggest challenges lie in balancing technological innovation with economic feasibility,” Dr Perren reflected, “as well as adapting infrastructure and regulatory frameworks to support new propulsion systems and autonomous operations.”
Overall, Shiptec continues to demonstrate a successful combination of tradition and innovation. Rooted in the operational experience of SGV, the company understands the real-world challenges of passenger shipping. At the same time, it is continuously pushing boundaries through engineering excellence, digital innovation and sustainable technologies.
“I have been with Shiptec for over seven years, and what motivates me most is working closely with our key customers,” said Mr Oswald, in conclusion. “Supporting them in their challenges, developing tailor-made solutions and turning ideas into successful projects is extremely rewarding.”