Superyachts and a sustainable future
Can we keep 1.5 alive?
As the second week of the hugely significant COP26 summit is well under way, many of us await the outcome with bated breath. All eyes are on the summit as world leaders discuss, negotiate, and set agendas for tackling the climate emergency. We’re now all wondering the same thing: Can humanity set aside our differences and join forces to fix what is evidently becoming a very serious and imminent threat to our future. Can we keep 1.5 alive? That is the question.
Innovation is key
So what, you may ask, does this have to do with the yachting industry? Well rather a lot, as it happens. It’s long been established that innovation in technology is our best hope for delivering a carbon neutral future. Technology has always been at the forefront of the yachting industry and we’re in the privileged position to invest in developing sustainable practices for the future of maritime.
Additionally, we rely on the health of the oceans, the diversity of marine life, and the preservation of luxury destinations that yachting enthusiasts seek out. Preserving idyllic island landscapes such as the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Galapagos is essential to the future of the superyacht industry. Particularly for charters, which rely on guests looking for such natural beauty. Luckily, despite what many may think, luxury yachting and sustainable practices are not incompatible.
Sustainable practises in yachting
In fact, there’s a lot going on in the yachting world that should hopefully lead us into a more sustainable future. With smart boats utilising hybrid or fully electric engines, solar panels being incorporated into vessel design, and modern technology enabling more efficient power management, there’s plenty of technological developments out there being used to ensure the industry is doing its part to counter the effects of climate change. We’re even seeing the development of new composite materials capable of being recovered, recycled, and reused repeatedly, which will accelerate the use of sustainable manufacturing practices and hopefully combat the increasing issue of waste making its way to landfill.
Sailing yacht Black Pearl is a perfect example of what can be achieved with the right innovation. One of the largest and most ecological sailing yachts on the oceans today, Black Pearl is a marvel of the modern world. Able to travel the Atlantic without burning even a litre of fossil fuel, this is an engineering masterpiece that clearly demonstrates the direction the industry should be heading.
2022 and beyond
While the world waits for the outcome of COP26, it’s refreshing to know the yachting industry is doing what it can to help support climate change mitigation. We welcome the creation of further sustainable initiatives and new trends for the superyacht industry in 2022 and beyond.