30° CAPTAINS FORUM

Yachting professionals come together at the YCM Captains’ Forum

Launched in 2007 by the Captains’ Club, the Captains’ Forum at Yacht Club de Monaco has grown to become a key event for all professionals committed to yachting’s evolution. Superyacht captains and owners, maritime experts, scientists and explorers gather every year to share experiences and reflect on how the sector can, and is, changing.

A strategic meeting for the future of yachting

The mission of the Captains’ Forum is multi-facetted and includes:

  • the central role played by captains in yachting’s transformation,
  • the integration of concrete solutions to reduce the environmental footprint of yachts,
  • the dialogue between technological innovation, exploration and maritime responsibility.

As part of the collective ‘Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting’ initiative, the Captains’ Forum positions the Yacht Club de Monaco as a platform for exchange where performance includes protection of the oceans and contributions to scientific research.

Programme

9.00am -10.30am

How to Follow Heroes: The Intersection of Science, Yachting and Exploration

11.00am - 11.30am

Presentation on the SEA Index® and its road map

11.30am-12.30pm

From certification to action: tools for more resilient yachting

12.30pm – 2.00pm

Working Lunch: an in-depth look at URN standards

2.30pm-5.00pm

Developing science: connecting research to yachting

Science, yachting and exploration: a new dynamic for the 30th edition

On 24 March 2026, the 30th Captains’ Forum at Yacht Club de Monaco will provide a broader perspective on the role of yachting in modern exploration and scientific data collection at sea.

Captains, explorers and international specialists will share their vision of yachting as a platform for observation, research and transmission.

An immersive format for the Captains’ Forum at Yacht Club de Monaco

This year, organisers are adopting a new image-driven presentation format called Pecha Kucha. To keep the discussions moving, each speaker will be allowed to show 20 slides at 20 seconds per slide, totalling 6 minutes and 40 seconds, in a series of well-paced well-structured presentations.

The format encourages participants to get to the heart of the topic, to share concrete experiences and engage in direct dialogue with the audience. Moderated by Maiwenn Beadle, a maritime expert involved in initiatives linking yachting, exploration and sustainability, the forum will prioritise interaction and strategic perspectives.

High level speakers for the 30th Captains’ Forum

Design sans titre 9

Matthew Zimmerman

Scientist and explorer specialised in marine ecosystems, he highlights the crucial role played by whales in carbon regulation and ocean health in ‘Floating gold: the power of whale poop’.
Design sans titre 12

David Mearns

Internationally renowned maritime explorer and expert in historical shipwreck research, he discusses underwater discovery as a source of knowledge and meaning for modern exploration in ‘Finding purpose: octopus and the wreck of the Musashi’.
Design sans titre 11

Commander G. Mark Miller

Former US Navy officer and maritime technologies specialist, he presents innovative data collecting solutions in ‘Charting the unknown: passive solutions for data collection’.
Design sans titre 10

Dominique Geysen

Captain and designer of exploration yachts, he shares his vision of a yacht designed as a platform for expeditions and scientific research in ‘SailXplorer: A Captain’s dream, the ultimate explorer yacht’.
Design sans titre 14

Taigh MacManus

A yachting professional focused on crew engagement, he explains how to transform sustainable initiatives into concrete actions in ‘All aboard: converting ideas into engagement’.
Design sans titre 13

Emily Cunningham MBE

A sailor and advocate for citizen science, she presents accessible solutions to involve yachts and their crews in environmental data collection in ‘Easy ways to citizen science’. All these presentations illustrate how yachting can support oceanographic research, seabed exploration and crew engagement with scientific projects.

Presentation on the SEA Index® and its road map

Next up is a presentation on the SEA Index®. Launched in 2020 by YCM and Credit Suisse (a UBS brand), the SEA Index® has become the benchmark for measuring and reducing the environmental footprint of superyachts. A highlight of the event it aims to clarify the sector’s environmental commitments and mobilise yachting stakeholders to focus on measurable indicators. 

From certification to action: tools for more resilient yachting

An environmental transition cannot be achieved without tools. This session focuses on solutions compatible with the SEA Index® approach: digital platforms, measurement systems and technical innovations designed to reduce a yacht’s environmental footprint. Concretely, it will focus on examining what actually works onboard. Michele Insom (NANNI), Marc Guynot (NEMO Platform) and Claire Ferandier Sicard (ETYC) will discuss the impact of these systems.

Working Lunch: an in-depth look at URN standards

Organised as a workshop, lunch will focus on URN standards and the issue of Underwater Radiated Noise. This technical, sometimes complex, but now crucial subject focuses on how to reduce acoustic impacts. It has become a major challenge, not only to preserve marine ecosystems but also for the development of environmental certifications. Eric Baudin from Bureau Veritas will lead the discussions.

Developing science: connecting research to yachting

For the afternoon session, scientists and specialists in environmental indicators will take to the floor.  The goal is not to add a theoretical layer but to reinforce the credibility of commitments undertaken by the sector. A yachting sector that is committed must be able to base its actions on reliable data, robust methodologies and structured partnerships with research. How can a yacht be transformed into a useful observation platform? How can quality data be collected? How can captains, owners and scientists engage in dialogue on shared platforms? To answer these questions, Yacht Club de Monaco has invited leading experts to give their views:

  • Plan Bleu — Antoine Lafitte
  • Bureau Veritas — Eric Baudin
  • Andromède Océanologie — Pierre Descamp
  • Pelagos Agreement — Maria Betti
  • ATMOSUD — Pierre-Charles Maria
  • Swiss Ocean Tech — Thomas Frizlen (TBC)

This panel’s aim is to reinforce the link between applied research and the maritime industry to ensure that environmental commitments are based on measurable and shared facts.

An essential meeting

From the morning’s strategic debates to technical workshops and scientific discussions in the afternoon, the common thread remains the goal to make yachting a responsible, structured and credible sector in the face of environmental challenges.

The Captains’ Forum at Yacht Club de Monaco is more than a key event on the calendar; it is part of a broader approach to ensure a yachting industry that is capable of anticipating, innovating and fully embracing its role in ocean conservation.

Contact

Michèle Flandin

Email

m.flandin@ycm.mc

Telephone

+33 (0)6 42 07 88 59