MPVXX – What Comes Next?
- Marc Reffell
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
A year ago, MPVXX was little more than a question.
Could internal flow management influence propulsion behaviour in ways that conventional marine propulsion architectures largely ignore?
What followed was a six-month Innovate UK-funded research programme through Hydrastorm Technologies, exploring the interaction between flow conditioning, controlled geometry and propulsion performance within a compact marine system.
The project moved from concept sketches and CAD models to physical prototypes, instrumentation, testing and analysis.
More importantly, it answered the question that every engineering project eventually faces:
Is there something worth investigating further?
The answer appears to be yes.
Testing demonstrated that changes to internal architecture could significantly influence propulsion behaviour. Multiple operating regimes were observed, and experimental results showed that propulsion characteristics could be altered through changes to internal configuration rather than motor speed alone.
While the project generated valuable data, it also produced something equally important: new questions.
As with many research programmes, completion of the funded phase does not represent the end of development. In many respects, it marks the beginning of the next stage.
Where We Are Today
The Innovate UK programme has now been completed.
Hydrastorm Technologies is currently focused on:
Intellectual property protection and patent development.
CFD correlation and simulation studies.
Further validation and prototype refinement.
Identifying future application areas and development partners.
Exploring commercial pathways for the technology.
Why Attend Ocean Tech Expo?
Ocean Tech Expo brings together engineers, operators, innovators, investors and organisations shaping the future of maritime technology.
I'm attending not to sell a finished product, but to learn.
To better understand where technologies such as MPVXX might contribute to future maritime systems.
To meet people solving real-world maritime challenges.
And to continue the conversations that move innovation from research into reality.
About the Author
My name is Marc Reffell.
I served for 25 years in the Royal Navy before transitioning into marine engineering.
I am the founder of Hydrastorm Technologies and project lead for the Innovate UK-funded MPVXX research programme.
Like many engineering projects, MPVXX began with curiosity.
The journey continues because the evidence suggests there is still more to learn.
If you'd like to discuss marine propulsion, maritime innovation or potential collaboration opportunities, please feel free to connect with me during Ocean Tech Expo 2026 or via LinkedIn.
"Hydrastorm Technologies welcomes discussions with organisations involved in marine autonomy, advanced propulsion, defence technology and maritime innovation."
Marc Reffell Founder – Hydrastorm Technologies Ltd
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