An annual gathering for the yachting industry, La Belle Classe Superyachts Business Symposium, organized by Yacht Club de Monaco alongside Credit Suisse, is not only an opportunity to analyze changes and challenges in the sector, but to bring together owners and professionals. Federating all key players in the global superyacht industry chain, the event is part of the Monaco Capital of Yachting approach.

Sixty people attended to discuss how the industry is evolving and adapting to environmental challenges, demonstrating the sector’s awareness of the issues. For this 14th edition, retrofit was at the heart of the debate.

With green yachting asserting itself as the future, owners must make a choice between a sustainable yacht or renovating their own. Modernization is inevitable: within five to ten years, some regions, particularly coastal, will no longer be accessible to vessels operating on diesel.

“Yachting stakeholders are mobilized and ready to initiate change in the industry. The level of mobilization they are involved in to develop the sector is very encouraging,” said Bernard d’Alessandri, YCM General Secretary and President of the Cluster Yachting Monaco.

“All industry players today are asking for change,” said Jamie Edmiston, Chief Executive at Edmiston. Seventy-five percent of yachts travel short distances, and a few make offshore voyages, when they are not being transported from one holiday destination to another. It’s important to analyze the reality to correctly assess energy needs.

Reducing a yacht’s carbon footprint can be achieved in several ways, such as replacing diesel with a biofuel, changing generators to better fit the vessel’s actual usage, switching to LED lighting or reducing air conditioning, which uses a lot of energy. While hydrogen fuel cells are seen as the ideal long-term alternative, despite the technology not mature enough, there exist intermediary solutions like methanol fuel cells.

After its La Belle Classe Superyachts Business Symposium, YCM is getting ready for the 5th Monaco Ocean Week, organized on the initiative of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the Monaco Oceanographic Institute and Yacht Club de Monaco, when a day dedicated to yachting takes place Thursday 24th March. An informative program is planned with the 11^th La Belle Classe Superyachts Environmental Symposium, followed by a round table focused on the 9^th  Monaco Energy Boat Challenge before concluding with the YCM Explorer Awards by La Belle Classe Superyachts ceremony.