The aim of this paper is to describe the hovercraft “MACP”, Multipurpose Air Cushion Platform  arising from the 7thFP project named “Hoverspill”, this project deals with the innovative design of a hovercraft for high speed Oil Spill emergency interventions.
The vehicle developed is an Air-cushion platform characterized by compact size and wide cargo space. The peculiarity of the system is the modularity allowing the possibility of installing and testing different systems and different equipments. This made it adapt for research&development and for working purposes, respectively. R&D innovative solutions could be installed and tested in an ease way but also different equipment for oil Spill emergency, bathymetric surveys, search and rescue could be installed for the different missions.The hovercraft is divided into two areas. The stern is occupied by a modular propulsion system constituted by the main engine, the main propeller, the lift system and the control surfaces system. The remaining portion of the structure forms a loading platform on which it is possible to install all the necessary equipment for several kind of studies or works. The air cushion is contained by a system of skirts of the type "finger skirt".
In this study have been presented all the innovations introduced in the “Hoverspill” project and the systems installed on-board . A short description of the transmission system is presented joint with different systems of control surfaces studied to improve the performances of hovercrafts during turning.  Furthermore, is presented the SoftHull™ which is an innovative composite structure constituted by a main frame protected by an elastic skin. Eventually, have been described the needs leading the adoption of this idea, the testing results and the applicability to hovercrafts and boats operating in shallow waters.