The 30th Captains’ Forum, organised by Yacht Club de Monaco in collaboration with Oceanco, MB92 Group, Jutheau Husson, ICON Yachts, is now established as a yearly focal point for the international yachting community. After a morning focused on professionals experience, the afternoon sessions centred on applicable solutions.
After observations, it was time for solutions and a move away from raising awareness to action. The second session, moderated by Neity Maddock was a reminder that the environmental transition in yachting relies on reliable data and concrete solutions. “Can we undertake an environmental transition without verified science-based tools? The answer is no”. Given that there are “more than 14,000 yachts over 24m in operation in the world”, the sector’s environmental impact is significant.
Presenting the deployment strategy for the SEA Index®, Jérémie Lagarrigue, Director at Yacht Club de Monaco looked back at how the SEA Index® has progressed since its launch in 2020. The Sea Index® is an index to measure the quantity of carbon emitted by a boat (applicable also to catamarans and sailboats), based on space available on board. It works for diesel and alternative fuels such as methanol and other solutions, with different CO₂ ratios per litre consumed. “Two months ago, we also launched an air quality indicator”. As well as measuring, the goal is to provide owners and captains with tangible benefits. “We will be integrating a data logger. With this system you can measure the fuel consumed by auxiliary equipment and the main engines. Moreover, as the data logger is connected to hospitality loads, you can immediately see the number of kilowatts consumed when you’re in a marina”. The result is faster check-in-check-out procedures as the marina will know exactly what to charge. It simplifies formalities and means less waiting time for crews. As well as privileged access to certain ports, simplified admin procedures and preferential rates with insurers and partners, the SEA Index also frees up time.
Marc Guynot, a systems architect and engineer for the aeronautical industry and involved in developing the NEMO platform, emphasised the importance of using data to improve yacht performance. The certification is a first step “but what’s needed next are actions,” and he pointed out that “emissions are also a form of waste”. The goal of the tool developed within the SEA Index® framework is to better understand actual fuel consumption in order to identify areas for improvement without altering their usage. “Data should be used to make decisions, not just collected without purpose,” he said, adding that any “data remains the property of the yacht”.
Claire Ferandier Sicard, founder of ETYC, stressed the role played by crews in implementing environmental initiatives. Her talk focused on a platform designed to support actions onboard, from collecting the data to implementing plans for improvement. For her, the key is to ensure these initiatives will continue: “We must have a long-term vision, not just one associated with a crew’s contract”. Discussions with the captains present revealed that often implementation is gradual. After simpler measures have been taken, such as eliminating single-use plastic bottles or using eco-products, crews frequently ask what the next stage will be. Issues such as space on board, technical constraints and sorting waste illustrate the day-to-day challenges, confirmation that the environmental transition depends as much on changing practices as well as on re-designing yachts.
The session concluded with a presentation by Giammario Meloni, Sales Director Mediterranean at Nanni Industries, on technology advances in propulsion. He detailed hybrid solutions and systems operating on methanol, developed to reduce emissions and noise. “The industry is working on minimising emissions and pollutants,” he said while showing configurations combining engine, generator and batteries. One key objective is to be able to cruise along quietly: “In battery mode you can sail with no vibration and without disturbing the wildlife”. What the Captains’ Forum demonstrated with these speakers is that there are tools, technologies and methods already available to drive the yachting transition.
During a Q&A, several delegates pointed out that economic constraints still hamper the transition. One naval architect summed up a common challenge: “The problem, in the end, is the price”. In his opinion, without a stricter regulatory framework mandating certain solutions, particularly in sensitive areas, technical choices continue often to be dictated by cost rather than environmental objectives. Other participants pointed out that technological advancements are gradually changing the landscape. The cost of batteries and hybrid systems are dropping, making these solutions more accessible than they were a few years ago, facilitating their adoption for new projects and refits.
With Neity Maddock again as moderator the last session of the day brought together scientists, institutions and technical players with the same goal to better connect research, marine environment observation and activities at sea.
Maria Betti, Executive Secretary of the Pelagos Agreement started by recalling that the Franco-Italian-Monegasque sanctuary is “one of the most important for marine biodiversity in the Mediterranean,” but “is a very busy shipping area where conservation has to co-exist with human activities including ships, tourism and yachting,” she explained. Given the context, cooperation with the nautical sector is crucial: “Strengthening the link between science and yachting is a strategic necessity today”. In her view, yachts should be contributing directly to marine observation research, given that there are now technologies which can be discreetly installed onboard. The yachting community could become an ocean observation network as “marine conservation depends on our ability to mobilise all those who live and sail on the sea”.
Antoine Lafitte, Plan Bleu Director, the regional activity centre of the United Nations Environment Program, put these issues into the broader perspective of international cooperation in the Mediterranean. “We produce analyses to observe the state of the environment and then work on evolution scenarios,” he said. The ecological transition cannot happen without more involvement from economic stakeholders and international goals need to be translated into actions. “It is very important to make the link between the private sector, sustainable development and the economy,” and “to create a narrative, a shared vision” strong enough to mobilise different sectors like yachting.
Next up was Eric Baudin, environmental expert at Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, to talk about shipping impacts on the marine environment, specifically the work being carried out to reduce underwater radiated noise, a still relatively unknown topic that’s now being studied. “Marine ecosystems depend on sound to communicate, move, feed and reproduce,” he said and that for many species beyond marine mammals “acoustic emissions from ships can cause disturbances, stress and behavioural changes”. This issue directly concerns yachting as boats are often sailing in sensitive areas. Efforts made to improve comfort on board for guests can also benefit the marine environment. “Reducing noise and vibrations to improve comfort also helps reduce underwater noise”. Solutions exist now, whether related to the design, propulsion or operation of vessels. Propellor modifications, damping systems, speed management and routing systems all help to limit pollutants.
These issues and the role of yachting in managing underwater radiated noise were explored in more detail at a workshop-lunch for captains, engineers and experts. They discussed strategies implemented in other maritime sectors as well as the solutions offered through SEA Index® certification and Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore. It has become a hot topic as noise pollution reduction is a major issue to protect marine ecosystems, as is development of environmental certifications. This discussion is part of a wider movement, Monaco having recently joined an international coalition ‘For a Quiet Ocean’, along with 37 countries to support coordinated actions to reduce underwater noise globally.
Professor Pierre-Charles Maria, President of Atmosud and Emeritus Professor at the Université Côte d’Azur, broadened the discussion to include environmental measuring and scientific monitoring. When referring to an interdisciplinary school dedicated to the environment and sustainable development, he said “the real world is complex and requires an integrated approach”. Through work undertaken by Atmosud, “air quality is monitored with standardised instruments, sensors and scientific models”. With this in mind, he believes yachting should take part in the collective effort. “Yachting, even though it emits less, cannot remain on the sidelines. It’s a social as well as environmental responsibility,” he argued. Awareness has led to tools being adapted to the sector. “This approach was clearly identified by the YCM,” he added when mentioning the certification process put in place “to recognise voluntary commitment to reduce yachting’s environmental footprint”. As a result, the transition now involves measurable indicators and closer cooperation between scientists, manufacturers and stakeholders in the sea.
Marine biologist Pierre Descamp, founder of Andromède Océanologie, focused on protecting the Posidonia seagrass beds so essential to the Mediterranean marine ecosystem. Recalling that “Posidonia is not an algae but a marine plant that forms proper underwater forests”, he stressed its major role in producing oxygen, capturing carbon and sheltering a huge variety of species. “Like any forest, it provides a host of vital ecological services”.
It’s a fragile balance, particularly in the face of ships’ anchors. “A single anchorage can destroy up to 50m² of Posidonia in one night,” he said. “This plant grows extremely slowly, just a few centimetres a year. In some areas an environment that has survived for millions of years can be destroyed in decades,” he warned. There are solutions to limit these impacts. A ban on anchoring in seagrass meadows has already reduced the damage significantly, while digital tools better identify vulnerable areas to be avoided. Tools like the Donia app that produces “real-time maps of the seabed to avoid damaging the seagrass”, and development of eco-friendly moorings to replace traditional anchoring are available. For him, it’s not just about changing practices to address the issues but better cooperation between scientists, authorities and maritime professionals, including the yachting sector.
The final speaker for this session Thomas Frizlen, founder of Swiss Ocean Tech, also addressed the mooring issue. Based on a survey of superyacht captains, he said anchoring is still a very delicate operation despite modern technology. Practices he says have changed very little: “We are anchoring today almost as we did hundreds of years ago,” and yet anchoring relies a great deal on experience. “Once an anchor is underwater, we don’t really know what’s going on,” he pointed out, highlighting the lack of data that complicates decision-making. There’s a “decision lag” between the moment the anchor starts dragging and the crew notices. “At the moment we act when the boat moves, not when the anchor starts dragging”.
His company develops systems to address this problem: “We supply real-time information on what is happening with the anchor on the seabed,” he explained, “We are not changing the way we anchor but providing data to make more informed decisions”. These tools can also help limit impacts on the seabed by preventing drifting and repeat repositioning. “More data means it’s safer and offers better protection for the environment,” he concluded.
Again these discussions demonstrate that marine environment protection depends on a collective approach, where scientists, institutions, the industry and sailors are called on to work together with measurement tools, shared data and common objectives.
Since it launched, the Captains’ Forum has established itself as one of the major events of the Yacht Club de Monaco’s Captains’ Club, membership of which is reserved for captains with a 500 certificate (or equivalent). Today it has 150 members, captains of superyachts averaging 65m in length and representing 25 nationalities. This 30th edition was part of the first Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting Rendezvous, a four-day event that brought together explorers, scientists, captains and owners around one goal: to work towards a model of yachting that is more engaged, more innovative and more useful to understanding the oceans.
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