Yamaha Motor Europe has announced a five-year exclusive partnership with Italian startup Belisama Yacht, under which it will become the sole outboard engine supplier for the company’s CyberCat workboat.
The agreement will see Yamaha provide integrated electric propulsion systems for the fully electric, modular catamaran platform, supporting efforts to reduce emissions in professional marine applications. The collaboration combines Yamaha’s electric propulsion technologies with Belisama’s modular vessel design, aimed at improving flexibility, efficiency and lifecycle performance.
Belisama Yacht, founded two years ago by a team of graduates, focuses on modular boatbuilding using marine-grade aluminum. Its approach allows vessels to be assembled, reconfigured and adapted over time, extending operational life and reducing material waste.
The CyberCat is designed for environmental operations, logistics and passenger transportation in inland and coastal waters. The platform features zero-emission propulsion, smart energy management and multiple size variants. Its modular structure enables operators to adjust configurations without requiring entirely new vessels.
According to Yamaha, aligning propulsion systems with a modular platform supports more scalable pathways toward carbon neutrality while maintaining consistent performance and reliability.
Fabrice Lacoume, marine director at Yamaha Motor Europe, said, “Belisama is challenging conventional thinking in boat design and production. Their modular approach and strong environmental focus represent exactly the kind of innovation the marine industry needs. By empowering the CyberCat platform with Yamaha technology, we are supporting a solution that not only reduces environmental impact but also contributes to the industry’s decarbonization ambitions while moving toward carbon neutrality, alongside delivering new levels of efficiency, adaptability and performance for professional marine applications.”
The companies describe the agreement as more than a supply deal, positioning it as a joint effort to develop new types of vessels based on modular construction and electric propulsion.
The partnership comes as the marine sector continues to focus on decarbonization and the transition toward lower-emission operations, particularly in coastal and inland waterways. Yamaha and Belisama say the collaboration is intended to demonstrate how combined advances in propulsion and vessel design can support that transition.
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