Rim-Driven, Electric, and Hydrogen — three propulsion tracks under one retrofit framework. We replace propulsion without taking your fleet out of service.
Rim-Driven · Electric · HydrogenStandardized Retrofit PackageB2B · B2G Supply
— 00Positioning Company Definition
PharosMarine directly replaces the propulsion systems of in-service small craft.
We do not build new vessels — instead, we install one of three packages (Rim-Driven, Electric, or Hydrogen) on the existing hull.
All three tracks share a single installation, validation, and operations standard.
01What We Deliver
From design to installation, delivered as one package.
Solutions are supplied at the program level. Feasibility study, system design, on-site installation, operational validation — every stage under a single framework.
Built on our Rim-Driven Thruster, Electric Outboard, and Hydrogen Outboard portfolio, we propose transition strategies tailored to each market and use case.
We replace only the propulsion system, leaving the existing hull structure intact. Work is completed on-site, with no dry-docking required.
02
Built for Repeatable Installation
Standardized installation procedures designed to apply the same specification to multiple vessels. Tuned for fleet-wide transition.
03
Three Propulsion Tracks
Rim-Driven, Electric Outboard, and Hydrogen Outboard — choose one track based on mission profile and fuel strategy.
04
B2B · B2G Supply
Vessel operators, government agencies, and OEMs — we operate dedicated supply channels for each segment.
02Why Retrofit
Operational Validation · In-Service Sea Run
Transition without replacing the vessel
The vast majority of small craft worldwide still rely on internal combustion engines. Ordering a newbuild is rarely realistic in either cost or time.
Retrofit — installing new propulsion directly onto the existing hull. No newbuild. Repeat the same procedure, and the fleet transitions together.
Existing Operations Preserved
Crews keep the same control interface and operating procedures — no retraining required.
Faster Than a Newbuild
Skip vessel construction lead time and replace only the propulsion system. On-site turnaround is dramatically shorter.
Repeatable Across the Fleet
Apply the same procedure repeatedly to transition an entire fleet to consistent quality.
Lower Upfront Conversion Cost
No need to replace the entire vessel — the capital barrier to making the transition decision drops sharply.
7%↑
Energy Efficiency Rim-Driven Baseline
80%↓
Underwater Radiated Noise CFD Validated
50%↓
Installation Footprint External POD Mount
1 day
Design Lead Time 4 weeks → 1 day, automated
03Three Product Tracks
Three propulsion tracks, one installation standard.
Each track targets a different market and mission. The tracks are independent — but installation, validation, and operation follow the same standard.
Track 01 — Rim-Driven
Rim-Driven Propulsion System
An electric propulsion architecture that integrates the motor and propeller into a single rim. By eliminating the shaft and gearbox, vibration, noise, and maintenance burden are reduced.
Shaftless integrated structure
Energy efficiency improved by 7%+
Underwater radiated noise reduced by 80%+
Suited to special-purpose and high-reliability vessels
A drop-in replacement for legacy combustion outboards. Targeted at fleet-wide transition of small fishing boats and commuter craft across Southeast Asia.
We inspect each vessel's operating environment and hull structure, then determine an applicable specification.
2
Phase 02
System Design
Propulsion specification and energy capacity are sized to the vessel's operating profile.
3
Phase 03
On-Site Installation
We install the new propulsion system on the vessel, including all interfaces with existing equipment.
4
Phase 04
Operational Validation
Performance validation and operator training are completed, and field support continues until stable operation is achieved.
Considering a propulsion transition?
Tell us your vessel type and operating scale, and we'll respond with the applicable track and timeline. B2B · B2G · OEM · fleet-supply — all channels open for discussion.
Designing the next generation of marine propulsion.
A retrofit company that directly replaces the propulsion of in-service vessels. Design and system integration are performed in-house.
— ABOUT 01
01Who We Are
Designing the next generation of marine propulsion.
PharosMarine directly replaces the propulsion of in-service small craft.
Design and system integration are performed in-house, and we deliver our solutions as field-ready packages. Rim-Driven, Electric Outboard, Hydrogen Outboard — selected to match each mission.
Company
Pharos Marine Co., Ltd.
Reg. No.
760-81-02318
Headquarters
8 Jeonggwang-ro, Suite 102, Nam-gu, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
A shaftless architecture that integrates the motor and propeller into a single rim — eliminating the mechanical paths that carry vibration, noise, and maintenance.
Conventional electric propulsion runs through a chain — motor → shaft → reducer → propeller. In Rim-Driven, the rotor sits directly on the propeller's outer rim. Remove the connecting parts, and the vibration, noise, and maintenance go with them.
02Development Process
From design to validation — handled in-house.
Specification, geometry, CFD, prototyping, performance validation, optimization — all run in-house, with no outsourcing. We are a company that designs propulsion architectures, not one that bolts parts together.
Integrated rim, blade, and motor architecture design
Step 03
CFD · Structural Analysis
Flow, thrust, cavitation, and structural analysis
Step 04
Prototyping
Build and assembly based on the design output
Step 05
Validation · Optimization
Iterative refinement against measured data
03CFD Flow Analysis
Driven by simulation data — not intuition.
Every key performance metric of the propeller is examined and optimized through CFD. Design decisions are grounded in simulation data, not intuition.
— FIG.02CFD VORTEX COMPARISON · ORIGINAL ANALYSIS
Flow Distribution
Optimized Flow Distribution
We analyze the flow around the rim and blade geometry. By examining separation, vortex formation, and pressure distribution, we converge on the geometry that delivers the highest thrust efficiency.
Cavitation Analysis
Cavitation Suppression
We predict cavitation at high rotational speeds in advance and adjust the geometry. By refining the blade-surface pressure distribution, the cavitation onset threshold is pushed higher.
Vortex Quantification
−82% Amplitude · −96% Intensity
Across the full operating envelope, simulation shows a 82% reduction in vortex amplitude and 96% in intensity — translating to an inherent reduction in underwater radiated noise.
04BEMT Design Method
Slice the blade. Calculate section by section.
BEMT (Blade Element Momentum Theory) — a design method that divides a blade into sections, computes thrust and torque per section, and sums them. PharosMarine has built and uses its own BEMT code.
— 01 Method
Section-Wise Analysis
The blade is divided radially into 30 sections. Each section's angle of attack, chord length, and twist contribute to the thrust and torque sums.
— 02 Code
Proprietary BEMT Code
In-house BEMT code (Python · NumPy). Cross-validated with CFD for accuracy calibration.
— 03 Loop
Iterative Optimization
Input target speed and efficiency → automated search across section-wise geometry parameters. ~15 minutes per cycle, run hundreds of times.
— 04 Validation
CFD Cross-Validation
Calibration coefficients are determined by comparing BEMT against CFD. 12 cumulative in-house validation cases on file.
Coastal Southeast Asia — the largest conversion opportunity.
Coastal Southeast Asia is the world's largest small-craft market. Most fishing boats and commuter vessels still run combustion outboards. Pressure to electrify is rising fast.
— Market Size
~8M vessels
Estimated small craft in Southeast Asia
— ICE Penetration
95%↑
Share running on combustion outboards
— Annual Replacement
~500K vessels
Annual outboard replacement demand
— Target Region
SE Asia
Vietnam · Indonesia · Philippines first
Designed for the conditions on the water
Southeast Asia shares a common operating profile — short daily routes, limited charging infrastructure, and tight upfront budgets. The product is designed around these constraints from day one.
Not a scaled-down version of a larger system, but a small, drop-in, repeatable platform engineered for that purpose.
02How Drop-in Works
Slots into the existing mount.
The core idea behind drop-in — standard mount compatibility. Combustion-outboard mount geometry stays the same; conversion happens by swap, not by hull modification.
Standard Mount Compatibility
Existing mount specs remain. No hull machining or repositioning required.
Standardized Wiring
Standard connectors between battery, controller, and outboard — minimum on-site cable work.
Identical Operator Interface
Throttle, steering, and start-up sequences unchanged. No crew retraining needed.
Short On-Site Installation
Removal and installation take roughly 4–6 hours. Operational downtime is minimized.
03Cost Comparison
Newbuild vs Retrofit.
Two paths to electric propulsion — newbuild or retrofit. Here is how cost, time, and operations compare.
— Option A
Newbuild (new electric vessel)
Upfront CostUSD 110K – 220K / vessel
Build Lead Time6–12 months
Crew Adaptation3–6 months
Existing Vessel DisposalRequired
RepeatabilityLow
— Option B (Pharos)
Retrofit (drop-in electric outboard)
Upfront CostUSD 11K – 22K / vessel
Installation Time~4–6 hours
Crew AdaptationNone
Existing Vessel DisposalNot Required
RepeatabilityHigh (fleet-wide)
04Installation Workflow
Standard four-step install.
Repeat the same procedure on every vessel. The whole fleet converts to identical quality and specification.
Step 01
Vessel Confirmation / Spec Selection
Verify mount geometry, operating profile, and battery sizing — then lock in the specification.
Step 02
Existing Outboard Removal
Only the combustion outboard is removed. The mount stays.
Step 03
Electric Outboard Install / Wiring
Mount the electric outboard and connect the battery and control systems.
Step 04
Sea Trial / Operator Handover
Performance verification plus operator handover for controls and inspection.
05Specifications
Product Type
Electric Outboard Motor (Drop-in Retrofit Package)
Mount
Compatible with existing combustion-outboard clamp mount
Hull Modification
Not Required (Zero hull modification)
Primary Markets
Southeast Asian small fishing boats, coastal commuter craft, island vessels
Supply Mode
Single-unit / Multi-unit packages / Fleet-supply program
Design Goal
Optimized for repeatable rollout, ease of installation, and operational compatibility
How to Procure
From single-unit delivery to fleet-scale supply programs — choose the supply mode that fits your operation.
Discussion of target vessel specifications and quantities
In 2023, the world's first open-water sea trial of a hydrogen fuel cell outboard. Beyond lab validation — operation, performance, and safety proven on a real vessel: a next-generation, zero-emission outboard.
From the lab to the sea
Hydrogen fuel cell outboards have been treated as a concept across many research institutions — without an open-water sea trial precedent. PharosMarine reached the first real-vessel operation with a self-developed FC-PHEV architecture and seawater heat-exchange system.
The trial validated reliability, environmental robustness, and operational fit. It serves as the foundation for the production design that follows.
— Trial AreaBusan Coastal WatersSouth Sea, Republic of Korea
— Run DurationApprox. 2 hoursPer single trial run
— Output25 kWCombined FC + Battery
— Items ValidatedOperation · Environment · SafetyMulti-criteria validation in real conditions
— FIG.01SEA TRIAL — REAL ENVIRONMENT
A.Yacht install — side
B.Yacht install — stern
C.Underway
D.At-sea demo
02FC-PHEV Architecture
FC-PHEV — fuel cell + battery
FC-PHEV (Fuel Cell Plug-in Hybrid) architecture. The fuel cell provides sustained power, while the battery handles peak demand — a dual-energy structure.
Solves the response-time limit of pure hydrogen and the range limit of pure battery in one architecture. Optimized for special-purpose vessels, island operations, and long-range missions.
Pure Battery
Limited cruising range
Charging time required
Battery weight grows with capacity
FC-PHEV (PharosMarine)
Hydrogen extends cruising range significantly
Battery covers peak power transients
Zero-emission, low-noise operation
03Seawater Heat Exchange
Cooled directly by seawater.
Hydrogen fuel cells generate heat during operation. In a marine environment, direct seawater cooling is the most efficient option. PharosMarine has developed a seawater heat-exchange system designed specifically for outboards.
Direct seawater heat-exchange
Air-cooled designs are vulnerable to marine salinity and humidity. Our approach uses the seawater beneath the outboard for cooling.
The fuel cell stack stays at its optimal temperature — without an extra cooling unit, fully integrated inside the outboard housing.
04Development Roadmap
From prototype to production.
2022 first prototype → 2023 sea trial → production preparation. Our development journey.
2022
Gen 1 Prototype Completed
First FC-PHEV prototype completed. Operation validated under laboratory conditions.
2023
Open-Water Sea Trial
World's first open-water sea trial. Operation, environmental robustness, and safety validated on a real vessel.
2024 — 2025
Gen 2 Production Design
Production specification defined from sea-trial data. Further weight and thickness reduction in progress.
2026
Initial Production / Certification
Initial production line build-out and entry into marine certification process.
2027 —
Commercial Supply
Expansion into special-purpose, island, and long-range mission segments.
05Specifications
Product Type
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Outboard (FC-PHEV Hybrid)
Architecture
FC-PHEV — Fuel Cell + Battery Hybrid
Thermal Management
Seawater Heat-Exchange System (in-house)
Patents
FC-PHEV hybrid system patent filed (2022)
Status
Gen 1 prototype completed · Performance validation in progress
Target Use
Special-purpose vessels, long-range operations, island areas, zero-emission zones
Partnership and Adoption Discussions
The product is currently in performance validation. We are engaging in strategic partnerships for joint development and lead-customer adoption.
