Feadship and Dutch technology developer AtomicOne have announced a partnership to bring MXBuster® to yachts over 30 metres. The agreement, announced on 21 October 2026, follows more than a year of operation aboard a Feadship. The builder has secured exclusive rights to apply the system and associated technologies within that size segment.

Cover image: a Feadship yacht under way, illustrating the fleet. © Feadship.

The collaboration aims to reduce emissions and fuel consumption by improving combustion, with potential applications in existing yachts and future builds. The announcement does not identify the yacht used for the onboard installation.

Working at the engine intake

MXBuster introduces hydrogen produced from purified water, together with conditioned water vapour, into the intake air. It therefore acts on combustion before the gases reach the exhaust.

According to Feadship, the system is fitted as a separate add-on without modifying the engine itself, and can operate with conventional diesel or HVO. The aim is more effective combustion, with lower emissions, less soot formation and reduced fuel consumption.

MXBuster system diagram showing its connection to a marine diesel engine’s air intake. © Feadship.
MXBuster system diagram showing its connection to a marine diesel engine’s air intake. © Feadship.

What the reported results show

Feadship says independent testing, certification and classification organisations, including Lloyd’s Register and SGS, have validated MXBuster’s performance on medium-speed marine engines and superyacht generators. The reported data includes reductions in nitrogen oxides (NOx) of up to 55%, alongside lower exhaust-gas temperatures and particulate emissions.

On the Feadship that has used the system for more than a year, the company reports the elimination of soot deposits and reduced emissions. Initial onboard measurements also suggest potential fuel savings, although no specific percentage has been published for that yacht.

The other consumption figures come from separate tests on modern land-based diesel engines: fuel savings of up to 14% and a 25–35% reduction in AdBlue consumption. These figures should therefore be distinguished from the yacht’s onboard results. Feadship also says Lloyd’s Register has approved installation without changing the engine’s certified configuration.

Diagram of water conditioning and controlled dosing within MXBuster. © Feadship.
Diagram of water conditioning and controlled dosing within MXBuster. © Feadship.

Potential for refits and future engine rooms

Mattes Kruize, Director New Business & Supply Chain and a member of Feadship’s Knowledge & Innovation Steering Committee, highlights the relevance for both existing yachts and new projects. On many yachts with Tier II engines, fitting conventional selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems to meet Tier III requirements is difficult because exhaust after-treatment equipment needs substantial space.

MXBuster’s compact size and limited engine-room modifications offer another route to explore for reducing emissions. For new builds, Feadship is considering the potential to reduce or even remove large after-treatment units, allowing more freedom in layout and preserving the option of single-level engine rooms.

The Machine Room of the Future programme

Feadship, AtomicOne, Eindhoven University of Technology and specialist maritime partners are also working together on Machine Room of the Future. The programme combines combustion optimisation with compact exhaust after-treatment, aiming for further emissions reductions with less space, weight and complexity than conventional solutions.

For more information, visit Feadship’s page on its AtomicOne partnership and MXBuster technology.