HYDROCONTEST RETROFIT CHALLENGE
Transforming what exists to shape the future!
Created by the HydroContest by ENSM team, the RETROFIT CHALLENGE takes on one of today’s most urgent maritime questions: how to decarbonize existing ships?
As new eco-efficient vessels are being developed, thousands of ships still sail with outdated engines and aging designs. Instead of replacing them, why not repair, adapt, and modernize smarter?
Through a real-world case study, the RETROFIT CHALLENGE invites students to imagine concrete, innovative, and sustainable solutions to transform an existing vessel — an engineering challenge at the very heart of maritime transition.
A huge congratulations to all the teams who took part in the competition!
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Retrofit Challenge
Grand Prize
Stars Of Hydro – Yıldız Technical University (Turkey)
2nd Prize
Tribat – ENSM Nantes (France)
3rd Prize
Econautica – CIAGA/EFOMM (Brazil)
2026 AWARDS & RESULTS
What kind of ships for a sustainable maritime transport aligned with climate goals?
HYDROCONTEST RETROFIT CHALLENGE is an international competition that gives students the opportunity to work together within this new paradigm.
It offers a unique chance to imagine and implement solutions that rise to the challenges of the energy transition.
Olivier DANIEL
FON Lecturer – Initiator of the HYDROCONTEST RETROFIT CHALLENGE project for HydroContest by ENSM.
PARTNER COMPANY
D’HYDROCONTEST RETROFIT CHALLENGE
The CMA CGM Group, a global player in maritime transport and logistics, is partnering with the HYDROCONTEST RETROFIT CHALLENGE 2026 by providing a concrete case drawn from its operational challenges. The objective: to develop solutions to improve the energy performance of an existing vessel from the Group. A challenge that is demanding, relevant, and firmly rooted in the realities of the maritime sector’s energy transition.
By engaging alongside HydroContest by ENSM, CMA CGM helps bridge the maritime industry with engineers in training. This collaboration gives participants the opportunity to work on a real-world issue, confront practical constraints, and develop solutions that can be applied in a professional context.
Decarbonization underpins all of CMA CGM’s activities. Committed to achieving Net Zero Carbon by 2050, the Group has made pioneering investments in biofuels, in the development of innovative technologies such as wind-assisted propulsion, and in supporting the French maritime industry.
This partnership illustrates the shared commitment of the CMA CGM Group and ENSM to a more sustainable maritime industry, built on the transmission of knowledge, the recognition of emerging skills, and openness to experimentation. It also reflects CMA CGM’s determination to play a leading role in transforming the sector, alongside higher education institutions.
This collaboration marks a key milestone in the creation of this new HydroContest by ENSM component, focused on excellence in innovation.
HYDROCONTEST RETROFIT CHALLENGE 2026 - Documents
HC RETROFIT CHALLENGE - Competition rules
