As Superyachts’ Popularity Grows, So Is Their Supersized Climate Impact

The title is taken from a recent Bloomberg article from Jessica Nix to whom I provided some background information, so I thought I should respond to some of the issues raised by this piece. The yachting industry offers significant economic and experiential benefits, but in the face of a climate emergency, were the IPCC state […]

The Superyacht Hydrogen Primer

There is a great deal of hope that Hydrogen is the answer to our dependance on fossil fuels. Unfortunately, this has led to a lot of hype about its use. Many use cases simply gloss over the very real challenges of this molecule and, judging by many of the concepts, yachting has not been immune to […]

Superyacht Carbon Tax

There has been some confusion in the superyacht industry over the application of the EU Monitoring Reporting and Verification (MRV) and the Emissions Trading System (ETS). The response I received from the Commision is that it applies to yachts, provided they are 5000 GT and above, and are transporting passengers for commercial purposes (charter) and […]

Monaco Yacht Show 2023 – Reflections

Some reflections on the 2023 Monaco Yacht Show S.A.M. Sustainability was a key theme and topic of conversation and some progress is being made. This is a positive, and perhaps reflects the dawning realisation that this is not just about climate change, but the sustainability of yachting. Hydrogen as a fuel for superyachts, especially in liquid […]

2023 IMO GHG Strategy – a call to action for the superyacht industry?

Superyachts are but a small part of the wider maritime industry and although they are exempt from many of the regulations related to energy efficiency and reduction of Green House Gas (GHG) it is clear that yachts will need to align with the ambitions of the IMO if it is to be seen as a […]

Let’s Talk About HVO!

Original version published on the Monaco Capital of Advanced Yachting (MCAY) website – here There has been a lot of focus on new technologies and green fuels such as Hydrogen and Methanol as a means of decarbonising the superyacht industry. While these may provide the solution for new-builds, what about the large fleet of recent […]

Refit for the Environment

Superyacht Equanimity in Columbo dry dock bottom cleaning

With limited production capacity and long lead times, refit/rebuild becomes a more attractive alternative to new build for owners who do not want to wait 5+ years for delivery. It will play an increasingly important role, especially for the legacy fleet, where owners, current and future, driven by factors such as future regulations, carbon tax, […]

Fuel Cells on Superyachts – The Future is Here!

Launch of the superyacht Project Cosmos at the Lurssen shipyard

The recent launch of Lurssens Project Cosmos, a 114m superyacht using reformed Methanol and Feadships recent announcement of a Liquid Hydrogen superyacht that both use Hydrogen in Fuel Cells as part of a hybrid solution, represent important step’s in yachting’s transition to a future less reliant on fossil fuels. But what is a Fuel Cell, […]

The Future Of Yachting Is In Our Hands!

Yacht Club de Monaco seen from the port

Calm once again settles on the beautiful Yacht Club de Monaco after Monaco Oceans Week. For me it was a very useful and informative two days attending the 12th Environmental Symposium, 27th Captains Forum, 3rd Explorer Yachts Awards, and Monaco Smart Yacht Rendezvous. As always, there were some very interesting presentations and inspirational speakers, and […]

Where Are We Headed In 2023?

Graph showing CO2 emissions from superyachts, past and future with photo background of yachts at anchor.

In 2022 two statements stood out for me that highlight the attitude towards climate change and the future of yachting: But superyachts are clean! CEO of renowned brokerage Adapt or die! CEO of northern european shipyard   There is still a large gap between those who believe we can continue with “business as usual” (BAU) […]

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