A pivotal player on the international yachting scene, Yacht Club de Monaco again set the tone at the opening of the 34th Monaco Yacht Show. As part of the collective ‘Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting’ approach, YCM brought together 64 owners of yachts over 40m flying the YCM flag for its annual Owners Lunch. A total of 2,344 linear metres represented confirms the Club’s central role in the global yachting world.
It was the ideal setting for the Club to unveil the winners of the 5th YCM Explorer Awards by La Belle Classe Superyachts, under the High Patronage of HSH Prince Albert II, the Club’s President. These awards recognise a new way of using yachts, not just as a means of cruising and pleasure, but also as platforms for exploration, research and communication. “With this ceremony, we want to demonstrate that yachting can be an agent of change. These distinctions reflect YCM’s mission to unite owners around a responsible and ambitious vision. The 2025 winners have proved yet again that technological innovation, respect for the environment and being open to science can go hand in hand with cruising and commitment to the future of the oceans,” says YCM General Secretary, Bernard d’Alessandri.
With these awards, YCM is promoting a philosophy to combine success with a commitment to serve the public interest. The international jury chaired by Richard Wiese, President of The Explorers Club in New York, comprised experts in maritime affairs, innovation and the environment. “Monaco is the undisputed capital of invention, superyachts and innovative thinking but that’s not all. It’s also a community of people driven by a nobility of purpose who own boats that are not only sleek and beautiful but also of innovative designs. None of this would be possible without a community, which must include captains, members and owners, and you have all three assembled here today,” explains Richard Wiese.
The boats selected express a strong conviction that yachting’s future is defined by technology and the central role of science in maritime exploration as much as it is by the human values driving progress. This year, two winners were chosen from a shortlist in two emblematic categories:
M/Y Valor – 79.5m (Feadship, 2025). Hybrid propulsion and silent technology were chosen by the owner to combine performance with environmental responsibility for M/Y Valor. They also made a bold decision to opt for batteries despite the challenges of weight, safety and recycling, a choice that paves a promising path for the coming decade. The use of HVO biofuel confirms the yacht’s commitment to a credible energy transition, as owner David McNeil explains: “We have 5.34MW of electrical energy on board which makes it one of the most eco-friendly yachts on the planet”. Commenting on their award he added: “It’s incredible and we are very honoured to be here at the YCM”.
S/Y ArtExplorer – 46.5m (Perini Navi, 2024). A floating museum, this aluminium catamaran is the largest in its class and embodies a new approach to raising environmental awareness. By combining art, science and exploration, Cat Art Explorer reminds us how culture shapes our view of nature, protects our living heritage and mobilises awareness for its preservation. The boat’s transoceanic autonomy and renewable energy production from photovoltaic panels highlight the coherence of this combination of awareness and technical excellence. The boat’s Captain Olivier Gamberini is keen to point out the collective dimension: “We are indeed promoting art around the Mediterranean. Many people are involved. It’s a large-scale project so I am very happy to be here representing them all”.
In the same vein, the Yacht Club de Monaco will promote these projects at the next edition of Monaco Ocean Week. All yachts participating in the YCM Explorer Awards by La Belle Classe Superyachts were offered the SEA Index® to help them measure their environmental impact.
