Vanemar's AI-Assisted Automation is Stronglisted at Boat Builder Awards 2025

In recent years, advances in AI yacht automation, voice controlled yacht interaction and smart yacht technology have shifted from concept to practical application in pleasure craft. These changes reflect a broader move in marine digitalization toward more intuitive, connected experiences for owners and crew. One of the latest milestones in this evolution is the recognition of an industry collaboration involving Vanemar, Sirena Yachts, and Garmin EmpirBus on the Boat Builder Awards 2025 strong shortlist for a voice-controlled, AI-assisted yacht automation system.

This article explores the meaning of that recognition, the key innovations behind the project, and why developments like AI-enabled control matter to modern boat owners.

The Boat Builder Awards are annual honours jointly organised by International Boat Industry (IBI) and Metstrade.

First established to celebrate excellence across the leisure and superyacht sectors, the awards focus on business achievement in areas such as innovation, collaboration, sustainability, and design. Each year, an international panel of judges reviews submissions from global manufacturers, suppliers, and collaborators to compile a strong shortlist of finalists across multiple categories. Winners are later revealed during a gala event coinciding with the Metstrade exhibition in Amsterdam.

Being featured on the strong shortlist signals peer recognition of a project’s relevance and potential industry impact. It also highlights trends that extend beyond traditional boat building to include integrated technologies such as connected systems, automation and digital interfaces, areas that are becoming increasingly important for both builders and owners.

At the heart of this recognition is a collaborative system that layers AI and voice recognition on top of traditional yacht automation. Rather than viewing automation as a set of switches and screens, this system brings natural language interaction and cloud-enabled intelligence into the onboard environment.

In practical terms, this means a yacht owner or captain can interact with the vessel in a more human-oriented way; asking for status updates or commanding certain functions using voice commands or mobile app interactions. All of this is supported by enhanced contextual awareness, enabled by cloud connectivity, and intelligent interpretation of onboard data.

From a user perspective, this marks a departure from pre-programmed autopilots or fixed control interfaces. Instead of navigating layered menus or physical panels, owners can speak commands or ask questions that the system interprets and executes, making the vessel’s functions feel more responsive and intuitive.

This project is built around a partnership of three contributors, each providing a distinct technological layer:

• Sirena Yachts: As the shipyard and integrator, Sirena is responsible for configuring the system to each model’s specific hardware and build sheets. This ensures accuracy and coherence between the voice-activated system and the physical systems it controls.

• Vanemar: Vanemar provides the cloud-based intelligence layer that sits above the yacht’s onboard networks. This component interprets natural language, manages contextual awareness, and links owner queries or commands with the vessel’s real-time data. This element of marine AI systems makes it possible to transform conversational input into automated, reliable interactions.

• EmpirBus by Garmin: Garmin’s EmpirBus delivers the robust digital switching foundation that connects the yacht’s engines, systems, and electronics to the AI and voice interface. Digital switching, as an alternative to traditional relay-based circuits, enables greater flexibility and precision for system control.

By combining these layers, the solution is not a standalone gadget or aftermarket add-on. Instead, it is designed as a production-grade yacht automation system that can be offered as an integrated, optional factory feature on new vessels.

For many boat owners today, technology on board is expected to do more than simply display data: it must assist, inform and streamline routine tasks. That’s where AI and connected systems come into play.

AI systems can help prioritise tasks and reduce cognitive load for captains and crew. By voicing a simple command and getting a clear system response, critical information becomes more accessible. Built-in confirmation logic for key actions (such as switching power systems or adjusting navigation modes) adds an extra layer of safety assurance.

Traditionally, yacht automation often involved navigating menus on displays or manually flipping switches. With voice controlled yacht interaction and AI, owners and crew can interact with systems more naturally, whether they are in the helm station, galley or cockpit. This extends the notion of smart yacht technology from screens and panels to conversation and intent.

While cloud connectivity enriches AI capabilities, the system is also designed to function offline for essential tasks. This means that even without network access, basic commands and operational functions remain available, an important consideration for offshore or remote cruising.

The system is planned for integration in multiple Sirena yacht lines, with production slated to begin in the fourth quarter of 2025. Eligible models include a range of widely recognised hulls such as the Sirena 48, 60, 68, 78, 88 and 118.

Importantly, this solution is positioned as an optional factory-installed feature. Owners selecting this option receive a system that is calibrated to their specific vessel’s configuration, with build-sheet accuracy and full integration from the outset.

Being part of a project that appears on the Boat Builder Awards 2025 strong shortlist is meaningful for several reasons:

• It underscores Vanemar’s contribution to innovation in connected yacht systems and marine digitalization, areas that are increasingly shaping how owners interact with their vessels. 

• It highlights the growing role of AI in yachting, beyond traditional navigation or monitoring systems, into conversational and predictive interfaces.

• It reflects confidence from industry peers that this collaborative model has significance not just as a product, but as a concept influencing the future trajectory of yacht technology.

For Vanemar customers and enthusiasts, this recognition reinforces that marine technology is evolving toward more integrated, intelligent, and user-centric experiences.

The inclusion of this AI-enabled yacht automation project on the Boat Builder Awards 2025 strong shortlist points to a broader shift in how owners might interface with their vessels in the coming years. AI yacht automation, voice controlled yacht interaction and smart yacht technology are no longer distant ambitions; they are emerging capabilities that redefine expectations for ease of use, safety and connectivity.

As yacht systems evolve, tools that bring together marine AI systems and robust, connected architectures are likely to become a standard part of modern boat ownership. For those who follow industry trends or are planning their next yacht acquisition, these developments signal how convenience and technological sophistication can coexist with the timeless pleasure of life on the water.