“Monaco is the capital of yachting, just like Houston is for space missions, said a former NASA astronaut recently, when speaking to an audience of captains at the Yacht Club de Monaco. Since the 2012 launch of the umbrella brand “Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting”, a platform for building tomorrow’s yachting industry, the city-state has established itself as a touchstone for super yachting, with an industry sector representing 1,560 employees, 252 companies and €733 million. Today, “Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting” wants to make the Yacht Club “a model of the best” in the world in terms of eco-responsibility, according to the Secretary General Bernard d’Alessandri, by reducing the emissions of the building designed by Norman Foster and also with the first boat developed by the zero emission committee. Thanks to the SEA Index® tool, the YCM Marina has set up “a system to actively encourage yachts with a low environmental impact by introducing a sliding scale of preferential rates on berths”.
The eco-responsibility drive is also illustrated by the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge. Following in the tradition of the very first motorboat meetings, this competition has become a successful incubator for the development of alternative propulsion systems. Since its inception, this unique event – which will be celebrating its 10 th edition in 2023 (5 to 8 July 2023) – has turned the spotlight on several new battery technologies.
In an effort to encourage innovation in the creation of virtuous, low-carbon-impact marinas, the YCM also hosts the Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina Rendezvous, organised by M3. Its goal is to find start-ups that offer innovative solutions (for example in water, energy and waste management and infrastructures), along with projects and architects who have worked on marinas to reduce their environmental impact.
By Milena Radoman