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Day: 19 August 2026

Monaco Marine companies officially rebrand under Safe Harbor ownership

by: Cassandra Tanti
19/08/2026

The integration of Monaco Marine into US-based Safe Harbor has taken another formal step, with two Monegasque companies legally adopting the group’s name following its acquisition of the yacht-services network last year.

Notices published in the latest Journal de Monaco confirm that Monaco Marine SAM has changed its corporate name to Safe Harbor SAM, while Power Boat SAM has become Safe Harbor Monaco SAM. Both decisions were approved at extraordinary general meetings held on 26th June 2026.

The two companies retain their registered address at 14 quai Antoine Ier in Monaco.

Acquisition brought nine Mediterranean sites into US network

Safe Harbor completed its acquisition of Monaco Marine on 31st July 2025, marking the American group’s entry into the Mediterranean market. The transaction added nine sites in Monaco and the South of France offering berthing, storage, maintenance and refit services for vessels and superyachts of up to 90 metres.

Monaco Marine was founded by Michel Ducros in 1995 and developed a network spanning Monaco, Saint-Tropez, Antibes, La Ciotat, Marseille, Beaulieu-sur-Mer and Saint-Laurent-du-Var.

At the time of the acquisition, Safe Harbor said the deal increased its worldwide portfolio to 149 marinas and shipyards. The company subsequently described the integration as an important step in its international expansion and Mediterranean strategy.

The new corporate names formally align the Monaco-registered businesses with their parent group, completing an important legal stage of the wider rebranding.

See also: 

US marina giant makes its first move into European market with Monaco Marine acquisition

Photo credit: Guillaume Plisson for Monaco Marine

Monaco’s Mediterranean exhibition hits one million visitors and shifts public awareness

by: Virginia D’Umas
19/08/2026

Seventeen months after opening in March 2025, the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco’s major exhibition has drawn one million people to reflect on the Mediterranean’s vulnerability, beauty, and future.

“Behind this million visitors, there is above all a million people invited to look anew at the Mediterranean,” said Cyril Gomez, Deputy Director General of the Oceanographic Institute of Monaco. “We wanted to make emotion a gateway to knowledge, and then to action.”

Structured across four themed sections, the gallery uses interactive displays and multimedia storytelling to contrast current environmental pressures with an optimistic vision for 2050. The layout reflects global biodiversity frameworks like the international 30×30 pact – which commits to safeguarding 30 percent of the planet’s land and oceans by the end of 2030. Through this vision, the Oceanographic Institute challenges visitors to picture a radically different future: a blueprint for a sea where commercial fishing leaves the seabed intact, shipping lanes are strictly managed to protect whales from vessel strikes, maritime traffic is regulated to reduce environmental degradation, and Marine Protected Areas function as a genuinely interconnected, high-impact network.

‘Mediterranée 2050’ exhibition. Photo credit: Frederic Pacorel

Measurable shifts in public awareness

Data collected from 1,378 visitors between July 2025 and April 2026 indicates the showcase leaves a lasting impression. Survey results show that 98 percent of respondents left with an acute awareness of regional threats and a desire to share their insights, while 60 percent reported a renewed drive to take practical protective steps. Seventy percent identified collective cooperation as the primary solution for ecological preservation.

However, the findings also pointed to a knowledge gap surrounding Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), with only 43 percent recognising them as a vital defense mechanism. To counter this, the museum encourages hands-on learning: guests have completed over 650,000 digital tasks on-site and through the ‘My OCEANO Med’ app to simulate habitat management.

International accords and European expansion

At the centre of the installation, the Oceano Odyssey – Mission Pelagos experience uses multi-projector laser setups and spatial audio within the museum’s historic Whale Room. This technical execution earned two major honours in 2026: a ‘Mondo-DR Award’ in the museum sector and a ‘Red Dot: Best of the Best’ distinction for communication design.

The initiative has expanded beyond the Principality as well. A condensed three-minute iteration of the Oceano Odyssey concept has launched inside the queue line for the Silver Star ride at Europa-Park, reaching millions of seasonal visitors and widening the footprint of the institute’s marine advocacy.

See also: 

Inside Méditerranée 2050: the ocean exhibition that dares to dive into the future

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Photo credit: Frederic Pacorel / Oceanographic Museum Monaco

From Monaco to Kastellorizo: Prince Albert-signed statue returns to Kastellorizo in tribute to celebrated educator

by: Virginia D’Umas
19/08/2026

Following its signing by Prince Albert II in Monaco last April during the Grand Prix Maria Callas Monaco Gala and Awards, a monument dedicated to the historical educator Emmanuel Kisthinios was officially unveiled on 9th August at his birthplace in Kastellorizo, with Greek parliamentary officials, politicians, and military figures gathering for the portside ceremony.

The sculpture, created by local artist Marcos Marin, was unveiled in Monaco on 24th April during an award ceremony, which formed part of a wider tribute to the legacy of Kisthinios, who is regarded by supporters as an important figure in Greek education and cultural history.

Several months later, on 9th August, the statue was transported to Kastellorizo and installed at the island’s harbour, the birthplace of Emmanuel Kisthinios. The unveiling ceremony was conducted by Vasilis Upsilantis, First Dean of the Greek Parliament, in the presence of political representatives, military officials and local attendees.

Prince Albert II signing the greek historical educator’s statue. Photo credit: Studio Panoulis

Cultural links and legacy

According to information provided by Dr. Christos Nikolopoulos, the ceremony celebrated both the return of the monument to Kastellorizo and the cultural links forged through its presentation in Monaco earlier this year.

The installation now provides a permanent tribute to Kisthinios at one of the island’s most prominent locations, overlooking the port and serving as a focal point for visitors arriving in Kastellorizo. The project also highlights the continuing cultural connections between Monaco and the eastern Mediterranean island, which has long maintained strong ties with its diaspora and supporters abroad.

While details of the commissioning and funding of the monument have not been publicly disclosed, organisers say the statue was intended to honour the life and achievements of Emmanuel Kisthinios and to preserve his legacy for future generations. 

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The unveiling of the Emmanuel Kisthinios statue during the ‘Grand Prix Maria Callas Monaco Gala & Awards’. Photo credit: Studio Panoulis

Black Jack 100 leads offshore fleet out of Sicily on race to Monaco

by: Cassandra Tanti
19/08/2026

 

The record-holding maxi Black Jack 100 seized an early lead as 39 boats set off from the Gulf of Mondello in Sicily on Tuesday 18th August, bound for Monaco on the 500-nautical-mile 21st Palermo-Montecarlo.

The fleet, representing 11 nations, crossed the start line at around 12.30pm in a westerly breeze of 10 to 12 knots. Black Jack 100 was first to round the disengagement mark on the opening leg, edging ahead of the maxi Fiamme Gialle Nice. The start was not without drama, with Italian race reports noting that the J99 Tokio was dismasted after a close-quarters contact with the maxi Intuition.

Organised by Circolo della Vela Sicilia with the Yacht Club de Monaco and the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, the race counts towards the Italian Offshore Championship and forms the final leg of the International Maxi Association’s Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge.

A record in the frame

All eyes are on Black Jack 100, owned by Remon Vos and skippered by Tristan Le Brun, both YCM members. The 30-metre maxi has three consecutive wins this season and holds the Palermo to Monaco record of 38 hours 53 minutes 13 seconds, set in 2025.

“We prefer not to make predictions: the first part of the race could be marked by light unstable winds, requiring a great deal of focus and concentration. There’s some tough competition out there and the challenge promises to be an interesting one,” said Le Brun.

Its closest rivals for line honours are Furio Benussi’s 86-footer Marta07, which carries a mixed crew from both organising clubs, and Fiamme Gialle Nice, skippered by Francesco Nerone with former America’s Cup helmsman Paolo Cian aboard.

Bonifacio the first test

After the start, the crews face stronger winds heading towards Corsica and the mandatory passage through the Strait of Bonifacio, where the choice of the island’s east or west coast can define a Palermo-Montecarlo.

The first arrivals could come overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, though Thursday morning, 20th August, is more likely. The prize-giving takes place at the Yacht Club de Monaco on Sunday 23rd August.

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Photo credit: Photo credit: Studio Borlenghi