Monaco: Capital of Yachting Experience – 21-23 September 2020

 

“Monaco occupies a privileged position in the luxury yachting sector, as evidenced by the success last weekend of the Ferretti Group Preview which saw 23 yachts, with their owners on board, in our Marina,” observes Bernard d’Alessandri, General Secretary of the Yacht Club de Monaco.


“In the context of the global health situation, I believe Monaco has many strengths. It is important we are present alongside owners, not only to meet their expectations but in particular to answer their questions about the health and ecology challenges we face”.

As part of its ambition to make the Principality a centre of excellence and innovation for luxury yachting, the Yacht Club de Monaco is maintaining the events it usually organises during the Monaco Yacht Show. The result is a three-day Monaco: Capital of Yachting Experience, an initiative organised in consultation with Monaco Yacht Show organisers and all the Monegasque entities mobilised to put on a bespoke programme, under the aegis of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, for Planetary Health Week.

 

Highlights include:

 

  • Meeting and screening of a film by Mike Horn, Monday 21st September at 9.00pm

Format: in person only

Access: by registration only – monacocapitaleyachting@ycm.org

South African explorer Mike Horn, who has witnessed at first hand the state of our planet, will present an exclusive screening of the first rushes from the film made this summer following his last expedition to the Arctic, where Swiss sailor Bernard Stamm accompanied him sailing on the icy continent. During the two-month voyage, the adventurer was able to approach wildlife that had become more accessible in this post-Covid period.

 

  • Captains Forum: Yachting and Covid-19, Tuesday 22nd September at 10.30am

Format: in person and remote (Zoom or similar)

Access: by registration only – monacocapitaleyachting@ycm.org

How is yachting navigating this health crisis? Which sectors are most affected and which are coping? These are just some of the questions that experts will respond to with the latest data and forecasts.

Looking beyond the economic impact, the idea is also to propose novel health solutions to owners, particularly regards how to protect enclosed areas and manage air conditioning systems on yachts, given the airborne nature of the virus.

 

  • Launch of Superyacht Eco Association (SEA) Index, the first benchmark for yachts in terms of environmental performance, Tuesday 22nd September at 3.00pm

Format: in person and remote (Zoom or similar)

Access: by registration only – monacocapitaleyachting@ycm.org

Given there is currently no benchmark for measuring a superyacht’s polluting emissions, the YCM in partnership with Credit Suisse and Nobiskrug decided to launch the SEA Index. An indispensable tool, it is in response to strong demand from owners, who want to calculate their impact on the environment, and to support the industry as it transitions towards a more eco-responsible future.

 

  • Debate on hydrogen, an alternative to meet the energy needs of yachts and superyachts,

Tuesday 22nd September at 4.30pm

Format: in person and remote (Zoom or similar)

Access: by registration only – monacocapitaleyachting@ycm.org

This session will be attended by HSH the Sovereign Prince. The idea is to present the opportunities hydrogen offers as a carbon-free energy vehicle to achieve the emission reduction objectives that underpin the work of the Superyacht Eco Association (SEA) and development of its Index.

It is a hot topic, as the European Commission recently unveiled its plan to boost hydrogen production in the EU as part of its strategy to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The executive branch of the European Union has made it one of the investment priorities for its recovery fund (currently under negotiation), along with 5G, renewables, batteries and artificial intelligence.

“With 75% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions coming from energy, we need a paradigm shift to reach our 2030 and 2050 targets. Hydrogen should play a key role in this, with the fall in renewable energy prices,” said European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson.

To discuss the topic, key players who are at the cutting edge of innovation in this field will be there to compare their points of view, including:

  • Energy Observer – Jeremy Lagarrigue, CEO
  • ABB – Jostein Bogen, Vice President, Global Product Manager Energy Storage & Fuel Cells
  • Oceanco & Lateral – Dirk de Jong, Manager Project Development and Simon Brealey, Principal Engineer

 

As Bernard d’Alessandri points out, all these initiatives are aimed at shifting the paradigm: “Raising awareness is no longer enough – time now for action and solutions!”.