The importance of reducing polluting emissions of small crafts operating in coastal areas is also linked to the concept of preserving the marine and coastal environment. So, nowadays the need to reduce as far as possible the pollutants' emissions is a primary objective that must be considered in the design of any type of vessel. This paper illustrates the design of a small vessel conceived with two different operational conditions: passenger transport and research support unit. In particular, the hybrid-electric power system was designed to guarantee ZEM (Zero Emission Mode) navigation, even in protected areas where usually navigation is not allowed, such as natural reserves.
