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Month: September 2026

Blue Wake Awards 2026: Celebrating the pioneers of sustainable yachting

by: Virginia D’Umas
17/09/2026

As the superyacht industry is preparing to gather for the Monaco Yacht Show, organisers have announced the winners of the 2026 Blue Wake Awards, honouring the companies driving measurable progress toward sustainability in the luxury sector.

Launched last year in partnership with the Water Revolution Foundation, the Blue Wake Programme uses strict, proven standards to stop greenwashing and ensure total transparency. This year’s initiative brought together 60 verified participants—including equipment makers, shipyards, and management firms—that met strict environmental rules. These companies were judged across five key areas: cutting emissions, using circular materials, smart eco-design, protecting marine life, and yacht services.

From this group, an expert panel chose five category winners, plus a special yacht prize and a special mention, setting a clear, measurable standard for green innovation in the superyacht industry.

The 2026 category winners

Bespoke Projects claimed the luxury services and products prize for GreenCast recycled-monomer cast acrylic, by breaking old plastic down to its base chemical building blocks to create new, high-grade sheets, the material offers a truly circular alternative for yacht interior furniture, joinery, and finishes without sacrificing luxury clarity. In the nautical supply sector, Termodinamica earned recognition for its direct-expansion marine HVAC inverter heat pump system. Amico & Co. took the title for builder and refit shipyard, highlighted by its Genoa facility’s one-megawatt solar installation, full-dock shore power, energy-efficient sheds, onsite wastewater treatment, and a 25-category waste recovery system.

Tykun secured the tenders and water toys award for its aluminium TYKUN X and TYKUN XII models, backed by comprehensive cradle-to-grave life cycle assessments—comprehensive evaluations that measure the total environmental impact of a product from its absolute beginning to its final disposal.

Finally, Marina Ibiza was honoured in the yacht service, brokerage, and charter category for its extensive work restoring local Posidonia seagrass meadows.

Special accolades and innovative propulsion

In addition to the core categories, the jury awarded the Blue Wake Special Prize for a Yacht to Simena, a 62-metre sailing yacht built by Ares Yacht. The vessel features a parallel-hybrid propulsion system equipped with 220-kilowatt electric motors, allowing for battery-supported silent operation and energy regeneration under sail.

A special mention was also extended to VPLP Design, the sole design firm participating in the programme this year. Their Wind Voyage project utilises OceanWings rigid wings, with operational sea data demonstrating a fuel saving of 1.3 tonnes per day per sail—translating to a 25 to 50 percent reduction in overall fuel consumption.

Moving beyond intentions

Reflecting on the evolution of the initiative, Informa Prestige CEO Toby Moore emphasised the necessity of verifiable metrics in modern luxury maritime sectors.

“As the yachting industry continues to advance its environmental commitments, one question has grown more pressing: how to distinguish genuine progress from intention alone,” Moore said. “Blue Wake was created in response—a framework to help identify environmental solutions supported by evidence rather than claims alone. These winners represent the very best of what our industry can achieve when innovation meets accountability.”

The winners will be honoured during the Monaco Yacht Show with custom trophies created by French artist Cyril Bagnost at Atelier Bagnost in Normandy. Each sculpture is inspired by a yacht’s wake and a whale’s fin—symbolising conscious luxury, the ocean’s power, and the responsibility of our passage. 

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Photo credit: Yacht Club de Monaco

A continent on edge: Von der Leyen’s urgent call to protect and defend Europe

by: Virginia D’Umas
17/09/2026

Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday 16th September, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered a punchy State of the Union address, setting Europe’s independent path through a brutal summer of climate disasters, cyber attacks, and tough global trade wars.

“In this world, Europe has chosen to forge its own path. And a stronger, independent Europe is now emerging, said the President of the European Commission.

Strategic imperatives for a changing world

Building on key expert warnings, the Commission made it clear that Europe cannot afford to keep its money, energy grids, and markets divided. Brussels is speeding up work to finish the ‘One Europe, One Market’ roadmap by the end of next year. To cut through frustrating paperwork and red tape – saving 17 billion euros a year – the EU is pushing member countries to sign a strict pact against adding extra local rules. “If we are serious about simplification, we also need a pact against gold-plating,” said Von der Leyen.

At the same time, new banking rules and a bigger Scaleup Europe Fund are designed to pump risk money into fast-growing tech pioneers, such as the space technology leader ICEYE.

Climate adaptation and radical energy autonomy

Following a brutal ‘summer of truth’ marked by historic droughts, ruined crops, and deadly wildfires, von der Leyen warned: “These were the hottest summer months ever – but probably the coolest of the years to come.” To tackle this, she made it clear that Europe must stick to its green goals while boosting its defenses, saying that: “Europe can, must and will stay the course on its climate targets.”

The Commission wants to double electricity use by 2040, a move expected to cut Europe’s annual oil and gas import bill by 260 billion euros while speeding up approvals for clean energy grids. To protect the continent from future climate disasters, the EU will roll out a resilience plan for its 100 most vulnerable areas, create a Climate Insurance Alliance to help cover financial losses, and launch a comprehensive European Heatwave Plan.

Closing the gap: The EU’s hard line on trade and raw materials

With Europe losing one billion euros every single day in its trade deficit with China, the Commission promised a tough approach to stop local factories and industries from shutting down. Von der Leyen warned: “Let me be clear: we will use all the tools at our disposal to rebalance our relationship. Words are good. But deeds are better.”

Because Europe relies on foreign suppliers for 80 percent of its critical raw materials and 90 percent of its rare earths, the EU is setting up a new agency to buy and stockpile these vital materials together. To back this up, Europe will tighten the rules on unfair trade and build new trade routes—like the Middle Corridor project connecting Central Asia and the South Caucasus straight to the single market.

Europe boosts border security and upgrades ties with Canada

To fight back against rising sabotage, drone attacks, and hidden cyber warfare targeting European infrastructure, von der Leyen proposed an Emergency Security Protocol—much like NATO’s Article 4—to let countries act together instantly, saying that: “When triggered by one Member State, all Member States would convene. To coordinate a European response.” A new defense fund will pay for vital tools in air defense, space, and cybersecurity. On the global stage, relations with Canada reached a historic high: their partnership was upgraded to an ‘Alliance for the Future’, complete with a groundbreaking proposal to make Canada the European Union’s first-ever associate member.

Industrial artificial intelligence and the social compact

Treating artificial intelligence as the backbone of future economic and security power, the Commission wants to focus on industrial AI where Europe already has a strong edge, such as healthcare, high-tech manufacturing, and defense. Von der Leyen stressed that technology must back people up, not push them out, saying: “Do I want my doctor to be a robot, assisted? No, of course not… AI needs to empower our doctors. Not to replace them.”

Wrapping up with a strong defense of basic social rights, she reminded everyone that stability, healthcare, and housing are non-negotiable: “Staying in the region is not a privilege. Care is not a privilege. Housing is not a privilege. They are rights.”

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Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the Union address at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Photo Credit: European Commission

Princess Charlene’s Water Safety Days in the Landes

by: Virginia D’Umas
17/09/2026

The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, working alongside its ambassador and world rescue champion Stéphanie Barneix, organised the third consecutive edition of the Water Safety Days in the Landes department from 8th to 10th September. 

Across three days of targeted awareness campaigns in Léon, Vielle-Saint-Girons, and Arjuzanx, 288 children learned vital water safety skills and how to handle risks around aquatic environments. 

World rescue champion and Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation ambassador, Stéphanie Barneix. Photo Credit: Jérémie Gabrien

Bringing water safety to the Landes

The campaign kicked off in Léon on Tuesday 8th September, where 121 primary school pupils from CM1 and CM2 classes gathered for intensive safety instruction. The following day shifted to Vielle-Saint-Girons, drawing 105 children aged six to ten for an open-enrollment session. The final stretch took place on Thursday 10th September in Arjuzanx, where 62 pupils participated, with several successfully earning their official Pass Nautique certification.

Bridging recreation and survival

For Barneix and the Foundation teams, the goal goes beyond simple swimming lessons. The curriculum is built to bridge the gap between recreational swimming and survival instinct. Each morning began with kit distribution and thorough briefings before transitioning into hands-on workshops designed to simulate real-world aquatic hazards.

Photo Credit: Jérémie Gabrien

Participants experienced a mix of practical self-rescue techniques and team-building exercises, reinforced by the presence of elite athletes and professional lifeguards. One of the standout moments for the children involved watching a professional helicopter rescue demonstration, offering a rare glimpse into the complex machinery and split-second coordination required during a real water emergency.

Building confidence and community values

Beyond the technical skills of floating, treading water, and signalling for help, organisers aimed to instill broader values. Instructors used sports discipline, mutual aid, and personal responsibility as pillars to help children build confidence in and around the water.

As the 2026 edition draws to a close, the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation has cemented its footprint in the Landes, leaving behind hundreds of better-equipped children and a network of local authorities, partners, and safety professionals committed to keeping the region’s waters safe.

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Photo Credit: Jérémie Gabrien

Monaco Grand Prix to host its first F1 Sprint in 2027

by: Cassandra Tanti
16/09/2026

The Monaco Grand Prix will host an F1 Sprint for the first time in 2027, adding another competitive race to one of Formula 1’s most closely watched weekends.

The 84th edition of the Monaco Grand Prix will take place from 4th to 6th June 2027 and will be one of a record 10 Sprint weekends on the championship’s 24-race calendar.

The calendar, approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council and announced on Wednesday, marks a significant expansion of the Sprint format, which increases from six events in 2026 to 10 the following season.

Bahrain, Australia, Japan, Monaco and Abu Dhabi will all stage Sprints for the first time. The format will also return to Canada, Great Britain, Italy, Brazil and Qatar.

Two qualifying sessions on Monaco’s streets

A Sprint weekend replaces part of the traditional practice programme with an additional qualifying session and a shorter race.

Under the current format, drivers take part in one practice session and Sprint Qualifying on Friday. The Sprint and qualifying for Sunday’s Grand Prix are held on Saturday, followed by the main race on Sunday.

For Monaco, this means two qualifying sessions around the narrow streets of the Principality  – a particularly significant addition at a circuit where starting position often plays a decisive role in the outcome.

The FIA highlighted the prospect of drivers contesting two qualifying sessions in Monaco, saying the format would place an additional focus on their “skill and precision” around the Principality’s street circuit.

The decision is also likely to attract attention because of the difficulty of overtaking in Monaco. While the shorter Sprint will create another competitive session, qualifying and race strategy are expected to remain crucial on a circuit where track position carries unusual importance.

Record Sprint programme for 2027

Formula 1 introduced the Sprint format in 2021, initially staging three during the season. That number increased to six from 2023 and will rise to 10 for the first time in 2027.

Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said the expanded programme would give fans more competitive action across the season.

The 2027 championship will begin in Bahrain from 12th to 14th March and conclude in Abu Dhabi from 10th to 12th December. Portugal and Türkiye will return to the calendar, while the season will again comprise 24 Grands Prix across five continents.

Monaco will be the eighth round of the championship, following the Canadian Grand Prix and preceding Formula 1’s return to Portugal.

Monaco Life is written by qualified journalists, writing original content. Sign up for our free newsletter, listen to our podcasts on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok. 

Photo source: Scuderia Ferrari Media Centre

Zhang Zhang to lead Monaco charity concert for Nepal relief

by: Cassandra Tanti
16/09/2026

Monaco-based violinist Zhang Zhang, a former member of the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, will take the stage at Stars of Monaco this Friday for a charity concert in aid of the victims of Nepal’s catastrophic floods, with all of the money raised going directly to relief efforts on the ground. The evening, on 18th September at 7pm, is the latest humanitarian appeal from Zhangmusiq, the Monaco NGO Zhang founded to turn live music into practical support.

The concert answers a tragedy that has shaken even seasoned observers. On 26th August, part of a glacier collapsed high in the Himalayas near the Nepal-China border, triggering a landslide and a wall of water and debris that tore down the Trishuli River valley. More than 1,300 people have been confirmed dead and thousands remain missing, making it Nepal’s deadliest natural disaster since the 2015 earthquake; scientists have linked the glacier’s collapse to a warming climate.

For Zhang, the footage was almost too much to take in. “Today, we are used to seeing so many AI-generated clips that, at first, I thought the footage was fake,” she told Monaco Life. “But I quickly realised that it was real.”

The decision to act, she said, came almost immediately. Born out of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and formally established in 2007, ZhangMusiq has built its work around moments like this. “Zhangomusiq was created in response to the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, so disaster relief is in our DNA,” she said.

Where the money goes

Every euro raised on the night will be sent to Nepal, in keeping with the NGO’s founding principle that 100% of funds reach the ground. The proceeds will be entrusted to the Himalayan Buddhist master His Eminence Kyabje Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche and his Nepal-based Universal Peace Sanctuary, to fund emergency medical care, shelter and food for survivors at their most vulnerable.

Zhang is keen that no contribution be seen as too small. “Sometimes the price of a nice cup of coffee or tea for us in Monaco can make a huge difference for someone somewhere in the world,” she said. It is a conviction rooted in her own childhood: born during China’s Cultural Revolution, she grew up sharing a nine-square-metre room with her family. “No help is too small,” she said.

Leopoldo Giannola. Photo credit: Marco Strullu

Music as ‘the glue that keeps us connected’

On stage, Zhang will be joined by the jazz guitarist Leopoldo Giannola, her musical partner of some 25 years, for a programme that ranges freely from Bach to Bob Marley, taking in opera, film scores, French chansons, Chinese folk songs, tango and flamenco before the customary festive finale, when audiences are encouraged to sing and dance.

“Music is one of the few truly universal human expressions,” she said, describing it as “the glue that keeps us connected” in times of confusion and division — a way both to raise concrete support and to offer a shared moment of joy.

Beyond the immediate appeal, she hopes the evening also prompts reflection in Monaco on the mounting risks facing Himalayan communities as glaciers grow unstable. “We live in one of the most beautiful and safe places on the planet,” she said, “but climate change and environmental degradation affects all of us.”

How to attend or give

The concert takes place at Stars of Monaco, the reborn waterfront venue on Quai Antoine 1er, as part of the ‘Emergency Rescue Support for Nepal’ initiative. Those who cannot attend can donate directly through a QR code linked to the appeal.

“Come join us on Friday at Stars,” said Zhang. “Let’s create some joy together, while offering friendship and love to the people of Nepal.”

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Main photo credit: Marco Strullu

Monaco scientists unlock coral’s ‘superpower’ for new Margy’s range

by: Cassandra Tanti
16/09/2026

A groundbreaking skincare technology inspired by coral’s extraordinary ability to survive environmental stress has been unveiled in the Principality, marking the first commercial application of a scientific discovery developed entirely within Monaco’s unique research ecosystem.

Revelation, the new ultra-luxury skincare collection from Margy’s Monte-Carlo, is powered by a patented biotechnology complex that reproduces some of coral’s most powerful natural defence mechanisms – without harvesting or damaging a single coral.

The range is the result of five years of research bringing together Margy’s founder Margie Lombard, Monaco biotechnology company Coraliotech and the internationally recognised coral expertise of the Scientific Centre of Monaco.

At its launch in Monaco on Monday, attended by press and international influencers, Revelation was presented as more than a new collection. It represents a significant leap into the emerging field of biotechnology-led skincare and a breakthrough that Margy’s says will ultimately transform its entire product line.

For Dr Rachid Benchaouir, CEO and Chief Scientific Officer of Coraliotech, the project is also a first indication of what coral science could one day contribute to cosmetics, healthcare and longevity.

“We are only touching the surface,” Benchaouir told Monaco Life. “Margy’s and CoralGen²Complex represent the first proof of concept showing what coral can offer from a scientific perspective.”

“We have known about the extraordinary properties of coral for more than 10 or 15 years, but transforming that scientific knowledge into an application is new.”

Dr Rachid Benchaouir, CEO and Chief Scientific Officer of Coraliotech with Margie Lombard, Founder of Margy’s. Photo credit: Cassandra Tanti

Unlocking coral’s natural “superpower”

Coral has existed for hundreds of millions of years, surviving while permanently exposed to ultraviolet radiation, pollution, oxidative stress and dramatic variations in temperature and salinity.

Unable to move away from danger, it has instead evolved exceptionally powerful biological systems to defend, repair and regenerate itself.

This remarkable resilience became the scientific foundation for Revelation.

Rather than using coral as a conventional cosmetic ingredient, researchers studied the molecular mechanisms responsible for its survival. They then used biotechnology to reproduce and optimise selected coral DNA sequences under controlled laboratory conditions.

The result is CoralGen²Complex, an active ingredient created for Margy’s in Monaco and designed to transfer the protective potential observed in coral biology into skincare.

“Coral has developed extraordinary ways of protecting itself,” said Benchaouir. “The objective is to understand those mechanisms and see how they can be translated into benefits for human health and longevity.”

“We can reproduce in the laboratory the types of molecules we find in nature without destroying ecosystems. This is an entirely new concept, and it is something that can only be achieved through biotechnology.”

The process is entirely sustainable: no coral is extracted from the Mediterranean or any other marine environment. Biotechnology allows the molecules to be manufactured in the laboratory while leaving fragile coral ecosystems untouched.

Seven times more powerful than the human equivalent

At the heart of the breakthrough are two antioxidant enzymes found in coral: superoxide dismutase, known as SOD, and glutathione peroxidase, or GPX.

These enzymes help neutralise reactive oxygen species, commonly known as free radicals. When produced in excessive quantities by ultraviolet light, pollution and other environmental pressures, free radicals can damage cells and accelerate visible skin ageing.

In-vitro studies commissioned for the project and conducted on reconstructed human epidermis found that the coral enzymes significantly reduced the production of free radicals following ultraviolet exposure.

The results presented at the Monaco launch showed reductions of 61% with Coral SOD and 45% with Coral GPX compared with untreated or placebo models.

Most strikingly, Coral SOD demonstrated enzymatic activity up to seven times greater than the equivalent human enzyme under the testing conditions.

It is this exceptional natural potency that Margy’s is seeking to harness: using the survival mechanisms perfected by coral over millions of years to help modern skin defend itself against environmental and lifestyle-related stress.

An innovation that could only have emerged in Monaco

Margie Lombard began investing in the biotechnology programme in 2019, with the objective of creating a new generation of products focused on keeping skin healthy and resilient for longer rather than attempting to aggressively correct the signs of ageing later.

While the finished collection carries the Margy’s name, Benchaouir says its creation depended on a combination of expertise that is particularly concentrated in Monaco.

“Coraliotech has one area of expertise, the Scientific Centre of Monaco has another, and Margy’s brings its own knowledge and experience,” he said. “It is this combination that works.”

For Benchaouir, Revelation demonstrates what Monaco can achieve when its scientific institutions, private businesses and environmental priorities – led by Prince Albert II – converge around a shared project.

“There are many different elements in Monaco that demonstrate why this is exactly the kind of place where such research should begin, expand and be explored,” he said.

The results

Clinical and instrumental evaluations commissioned for the range reported reductions in the appearance of wrinkles of up to 22% after four weeks of serum use and up to 23% around the eyes following use of the eye treatment.

Margy’s also reports that internal testing showed an apparent reversal of two years of visible skin ageing after 14 days of using the Revelation programme.

The beginning of a biotechnology revolution

The implications of the project may ultimately extend beyond Revelation. Benchaouir believes cosmetics is at the beginning of a major transformation.

“Biotechnology is beginning to become extremely important within the global cosmetics industry,” he said. “We are only at the beginning of a biotechnology revolution in cosmetics. Until now, biotechnology has mainly been applied to pharmaceuticals.”

He believes one of the greatest opportunities lies in connecting academic discoveries with real-world applications.

“When it comes to coral, research organisations tend to focus on issues such as the effects of global warming on the oceans,” Benchaouir said. “That is, of course, extremely important. But researchers are not necessarily being encouraged to pursue specific practical applications arising from that work.”

Margy’s now plans to use the discoveries behind Revelation to progressively reshape its wider skincare portfolio – potentially making the Monaco-born coral complex a foundation of the brand’s future.

For Benchaouir, Margy’s is at the forefront of a new frontier in skincare.

“Wait another three to five years and I believe you will see biotechnology expand considerably throughout the cosmetics industry,” he said. “I am certain of that.”

Monaco Life is written by qualified journalists, writing original content. Sign up for our free newsletter, listen to our podcasts on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok. 

Main photo source: Margy’s Monte-Carlo