MONACO, May 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sustainable transition, energy-efficient refits, and environmental classification of recreational vessels were the key themes of the 2025 Spring Pop-Up organized by the Cluster ‘Yachting Monaco’ on May 15th at the Yacht Club de Monaco. The event brought together the entire Monegasque yachting ecosystem – shipyards, yacht owners, designers, suppliers, and port authorities – around a common goal: to act proactively in guiding the sector toward sustainable growth, already aligned with evolving European regulations.
Three roundtables animated the discussion. The first, chaired by Vincent Huens de Brouwer, examined the contributions of related sectors. Vianney Vautier, Chief Operating Officer of Orient Express (Accor Group), presented the ‘Orient Express Corinthian’ project, the largest sailing yacht in the world (220m): “The best fuel is the one that doesn’t combust”. Equipped with 6,000 sensors and a digital twin, the vessel allows them to “simulate each itinerary to identify gaps in consumption and correct them”. Victor Gibon, Project Manager at JIFMAR GROUP Canopée, shared the experience of the first hybrid cargo ship powered by rigid sails: “We recorded an average 20% reduction in fuel consumption across the Atlantic. Under optimal conditions, this can reach 50%, or even 100% in sail-only mode”. Victor Collazos, Decarbonisation Program Manager at V.ERDE, offered a regulatory overview: “Yachting today accounts for 0.3% of global maritime emissions. It may seem small, but regulation is inevitable”, he said, referring to the new requirement for ships operating in Europe to have an energy label from A to E.
The second roundtable, moderated by naval architect Espen Øino, gave a voice to yacht owners. Laurent Reiss (M/Y Asteria) shared his family’s experience navigating remote areas, highlighting the importance of “autonomy, robustness, and onboard equipment”. Frank Binder, owner of M/Y XEIA, criticized the “uniformity of design”, while Heigo Paartalu, Managing Director and co-founder of YachtWay – M/Y ‘Vanquish VQ55 & VQ58’, emphasized that “every square meter must be multifunctional—for example, a sun deck should be able to turn into an outdoor kitchen for entertaining”. All participants pointed out challenges in managing crews. Reiss stated: “The rotation system sounds like a good idea, but in practice it’s more convenient for the crew member than for the owner”.
The third and final session, moderated by David Seal, focused on sustainable refitting. Robin Savigny, Energy Efficiency Project Manager at SMEG / SMART+, showed that a 24% saving in electricity consumption on a 60-meter yacht, equivalent to €48,000 per year, is achievable. Arthur Bohr, Monaco Site Director and Key Account Director at Monaco Marine, noted that “70% of the global fleet is over ten years old”, and that by simply replacing 520 halogen bulbs with LEDs on a 50-meter yacht, “up to 57,000 liters of fuel per year can be saved”. Natalie Quévert, General Secretary and SEA Index
Project Manager, stressed the importance of measurement: “Our certification allows owners to position their yacht on an energy intensity scale”. She added: “Some older boats, if well-designed and well-balanced, achieve excellent scores. Conversely, some recent or hybrid yachts can be surprisingly impactful”.
With 100 member companies and €567 million generated in 2022 (equal to 3% of the Principality’s GDP), the Cluster ‘Yachting Monaco’ confirms its role as a key player in guiding the sector toward real and measurable sustainability. Real and measurable.
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