Yacht Club de Monaco’s innovative SEA Index, a tool to assess yachts’ CO2 emissions, will soon be rolled out in 15 French Riviera and Corsican ports between Menton, Saint Tropez and Bonifacio, marking a shared era of consciousness regarding the importance of sustainability in yachting in the Mediterranean.
The SEA Index, a concept first developed by the Yacht Club de Monaco and the Credit Suisse bank in 2020, helps yacht captains, management companies and owners evaluate and better understand the CO2 emissions produced by vessels over 25 metres.
Beyond the innovative data collection techniques, however, the SEA Index was designed to be more than just a measuring stick; one of its core aims is to promote environmental accountability in the yachting industry.
The tool recently received the Capenergies label, affirming its credibility as a non-biased and reliable system for owners and stakeholders concerned about a yacht’s carbon footprint.
See more: How the YCM’s SEA Index is setting the gold standard for sustainability assessment in yachting
At a recent event celebrating Prince Albert II’s 40th anniversary of leadership at the Yacht Club de Monaco, the Prince spoke of his pride in seeing the SEA Index being adopted by ports and marinas outside of the Principality’s borders.
“The SEA Index has become an essential tool,” he said, “and I would like us now to go even further by measuring other greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution, which are also major concerns.”
Bernard d’Alessandri, the Yacht Club de Monaco’s General Secretary, added, “We aim to federate harbours and marinas across the Mediterranean and beyond by creating a network of committed territories.”
The yachting industry in the French Riviera is estimated to be worth €1.1 billion, with more than half of the world’s yachts measuring above 30 metres believed to be visitors to the region each year. Around 10,200 people are employed directly or indirectly by the sector.
Among the benefits for the ports and marinas that have expressed their interest in joining the SEA Index network is the ability to use the tool to prioritise berths for yachts with lower environmental impacts, especially during peak seasons.
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