STEERING TO GREEN, AN INTRODUCTION

Steering to Green is the initiative, launched by Italian Yacht Masters , which has the purpose of promoting sustainability within the yachting industry. It is a project that aims to share environmentally friendly behaviours and solutions, defining an ideology that not only involves superyacht captains, but inspires the entire industry to imitate these virtuous behaviours. It is a way to create a sustainable culture in luxury vessels management.

The project has three main objectives:

●Demonstrate that there are technical solutions and concrete actions to reduce the impact of the superyacht industry on the environment.

● Clearly communicate Italian Yacht Masters’ commitment to pursue sustainability through concrete and innovative initiatives.

● Promote a culture of sustainability among the association's members by showing real and replicable examples of virtuous behaviours.

The Steering to Green project began during 2017 Captain's Day at the Monaco Yachting Club. However, it was in 2018 that the project really took shape, with the introduction of Seabin , a system for collecting marine plastics and microplastics. This system has been donated to marinas of various cities (such as Monaco, Portofino, and Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia) as a symbolic and concrete act of commitment to sustainability.

As of 2018, captains and crews are obliged to adhere to strict sustainability guidelines (like the MARPOL protocols), but the yachting industry must necessarily go beyond this, and include adopting practices to reduce waste on board, using environmentally friendly technologies, and adopting the protocols for proper waste disposal. These rules are now an integral part of daily operations aboard many superyachts. 

The donation of a Seabin to the Portofino Marina by Italian Yacht Masters association.

Nowadays, sustainability in yachting is developing through a range of innovative solutions, from the well-known hybrid propulsion , which combines diesel and electric motors to reduce emissions and optimize fuel consumption, to 100% electric motors (which is massively used for tenders and watertoys), to Hydrogen Fuel Cells. Some vessels, such as the Sanlorenzo 50Steel , use systems that convert green methanol to hydrogen, marking a big step toward emissions neutrality. Many superyachts are integrating solar panels, not only to power on-board equipment, but also to contribute to propulsion, thus reducing environmental impact. Vessels refits are also becoming more environmentally friendly, with practices such as hull wrapping replacing traditional painting, thus reducing the use of chemical solvents. And then there are sustainable behaviours on board , which are daily practices for crews that make a difference. One among many examples are the use of water softening systems that turn seawater into potable water dramatically reducing the use of plastic bottles. These innovations are making the yachting industry increasingly sustainable, improving operational efficiency and reducing environmental impact.

But who are Steering to Green's stakeholders ? They are numerous indeed: shipyards, sponsors and partners that develop sustainable solutions, and of course the captains. People who play a key role in all phases of the boat's life: from the design of the vessel, in case they are owner representatives or surveyors, to choosing the best solutions in the refit and maintenance phases.

The captain Sangregorio sailing towards the Caribbean to donate some Seabins.

Being directly responsible for the superyachts, it is also the captain who defines the rules of the boat for both crew and guests. Consequently, the green culture must start with the captains themselves and their mindset, as they are the ones who convey the importance of sustainability to everyone who lives or works on board. This makes captains not only stakeholders but also key ambassadors for change toward more sustainable yachting.

With #SteeringToGreen , which at the communication level is also a hashtag, Italian Yacht Masters will focus on activating a listening system within its network, primarily involving captains and sponsors of the association to give voice to ongoing sustainable initiatives. The association, which is already present at conferences and forums dedicated to sustainability (like the Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina Rendezvous) , intends to strengthen its institutional role as an amplifier of green practices in yachting, promoting dialogue between captains, companies and stakeholders. Italian Yacht Masters intend to organize awareness campaigns and collect data from the community to assess the degree of sustainability on board. Through this collaborative approach, the association will continue to support the evolution of the yachting industry, and superyachts in particular, toward greater environmental responsibility .

The Italian Yacht Masters delegation to Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina Rendezvous.