Yacht Club de Monaco to Host 2nd Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina

Key to the economy and the planet’s lungs, oceans cover around 72 per cent (or 363 million square kilometres) of the earth’s surface. Data underlines the urgent need to protect it and strive for the sustainability of infrastructures such as marinas. Protecting coastal areas is therefore essential, notably for the economy as it generates nearly 50 per cent of global tourism.

These are facts that have become areas to work on in the Principality of Monaco under the leadership of its Sovereign HSH Prince Albert II, through the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and Yacht Club de Monaco for the yachting sector, with a battery of actions being carried out under the collective Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting umbrella brand. “If Monaco wants to position itself at the forefront of yachting, the Principality must support its transition,” says HSH Prince Albert II. “The climate emergency that we are witnessing more and more each day concerns the whole yachting ecosystem, which has to evolve both the yachts and port infrastructure and facilities. We must be agents of change and contribute to this transformation. The purpose is to present innovative solutions and encourage their application towards development of virtuous marinas.” 

Ensuring the durability and viability of marinas in the long-term is essential to the yachting industry’s prosperity. The ultimate goal is two-fold: mitigate the environmental impact of these infrastructures and establish them as benchmark destinations.

To this end, on 25-26 September 2022, the Yacht Club de Monaco will host the 2nd Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina, organised by Monaco-based specialist M3 (Monaco Marina Management) with support from the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the Government’s digital transition programme, Extended Monaco, Credit Suisse, Al-Rushaid Group, Bombardier, MB92 and Xerjoff.

2022 edition extended to marinas and architects

For this edition, virtuous marina specialists M3 once again called on Blumorpho’s ‘Open Innovation’ ecosystem for positive impact experts with its international network focused on new concepts and business models. The International Smart & Sustainable Marina Awards, which last year were for startups only, have been extended to marinas and architects to promote innovation and green technologies by encouraging discussion in the design and management of these living spaces. 

This networking event stands out for bringing an ecosystem of 250 people representing key players in the sector (entrepreneurs and startups to meet industrialists, investors, promoters, marina developers, architects and all those involved in yachting). This is smart technology at the service of safeguarding the environment by better management of usages and resources. A deluge of innovations is set to transform future marinas. 

“We’ve been working on the virtuous marina concept for several years now. It is our deep conviction that has enabled us to develop expertise in this field, particularly regarding water management. Smart marinas are living spaces that respect the environment and actively encourage the emergence of new activities and services, just like the smart cities from which they take inspiration do,” says José Marco Casellini, CEO of M3. 

Yachting community on board

In response to climate issues and to encourage responsible innovation towards the design and management of virtuous marinas, all those involved in the luxury yacht industry are behind it, including Jean-Marc Bolinger, CEO of MB92 Group, which has shipyards based in La Ciotat and Barcelona. “We are proud to sponsor the Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina Rendezvous event to support innovative solutions and progress at pace towards a sustainable future in line with our duty and commitment,” he says.

Paris Baloumis, Marketing Director of Dutch shipyard Oceanco, which specialises in design and build of large custom superyachts, echoes this view, adding: “For the yachting industry, we want to move away from our dependence on fossil fuels. If we’re genuinely serious about sustainability, we have to look at the whole process including the marinas so they accommodate visiting yachts in a sustainable environment.”

Bernard d’Alessandri, President of Cluster Yachting Monaco and General Secretary of Yacht Club de Monaco, explains: “Monaco has always been a yachting hub. The Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina Rendezvous is part of the Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting approach. We have a responsibility to encourage all initiatives that take us towards more eco-responsible yachting for our planet, for the oceans and for future generations. A marina is a key link in the yachting chain, a living space to accommodate yachts, their owners and crews; a future-oriented micro-city where there are strong interactions between the land and marine environments.”

E-catalogue promotes innovative solutions

Keen to bring to the fore new yet little-known solutions, the organisers have published an online catalogue available to consult on the event’s official website. The E-Catalogue references 50 startups and around 15 marinas & architects from 25 countries, selected by the experts at Blumorpho and M3.

“The Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina Rendezvous’ goal is to put innovation at the service of developing low carbon impact virtuous marinas that will generate new values in economic terms. These marinas will be models for future town developments. The pioneering aspect of this initiative explains the enthusiasm of innovators active across a range of fields from water, energy and waste management to mobility, security, construction, port equipment or infrastructure not forgetting protection and regeneration of biodiversity,” explains Géraldine A. Gustin, CEO of Blumorpho. 

For project managers, the listing of new advances in the E-Catalogue is a godsend. Ra’anan Ben-Zur, promotor of Habacoa Yacht Club in South Abaco (Bahamas) says: “Thanks to this E-Catalogue, our team is eager to find out more about the innovations proposed by these startups which aim to maximise green energy. The solutions they are working on encourage marina developers like us to design projects more respectful of the environment”.

Words confirmed by French architecture firm, the world-renowned Jean Nouvel Studio, entrusted by a Chinese owner to imagine and design a yachting destination in the Zhoushan islands near Shanghai: “Marinas, as lively living spaces, are an integral part of our overall architectural design. They are an open door to explore the world and encourage adventure. Monegasque yachting and the Yacht Club de Monaco’s success is a source of inspiration. We have been exchanging with this prestigious Club for many years now.”

An original selection process

Startups, marinas and architects referenced in the E-Catalogue presenting their projects to reduce impact on the environment are also in the running for the International Smart & Sustainable Marina Awards. The awards are in three categories and will be announced at the end of the event on Monday 26th September. The original networking selection process to short-list names for the awards comprises different stages, the first being launch of the E-Catalogue followed by:

• A grand oral including one-to-one interviews during the summer with an international jury of industrialists, yachting professionals and investors.

• The jury will determine the startups winner of the International Smart & Sustainable Marina Awards and the Top 3 in the Marinas & Architects categories

• Presentations on stage. Presentation of projects by Top 3 Marinas & Architects in the International Smart & Sustainable Marina Awards on Monday 26 September at 11.00am.

This final stage takes place on 12^th September for startups and 13^th September for marinas and architects. Note the public vote will also count for these two categories.