The yachting world has evolved a lot in the last few years, yachts are consuming less, propulsion is becoming ecological (electric hydrogen), however some practices must also evolve. Vessels can become ecological but their use must also be.
The Captains, members of the Yacht Club de Monaco are the Captains on board the largest yachts in the world, their experience and their involvement in the ecological transition of yachting is undeniable.

 

Resolutely committed for many years to an environmental approach, the Yacht Club de Monaco, supported by the Prince’s Government through the Energy Transition Mission, is pleased to present its ECO CHARTER.
Written in collaboration with the Captains of Superyachts of the Y.C.M. Captains’ Club and Claire Ferandier Sicard, an expert in environmental actions on board yachts, this Eco Charter aims to meet a common objective: to accompany yacht crews in the reduction of their environmental impact while respecting the needs and requirements of modern yachting

 

“Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little…”

Edmund Burke

- 40 MĒTRES YACHTS

  1. Each time I arrive in a port, I inquire about their waste reception areas.
  2. I sort my waste and throw it in the appropriate bins.
  3. I reduce and avoid single use plastic.
  4. I throw my liquid waste such as engine oil, maintenance, liquid, in the appropriate bins.
  5. I reduce food waste and do not throw it overboard.
  6. I discharge my wastewater in restricted area.
  7. I use ecological treatments for my tanks.
  8. If possible, I equip my washing machines with microfiber filters to reduce microplastic pollution.
  1. I reduce waves near the coast not to disturb aquatic fauna and flora & I get informed on Citizen Science Projects in the area where I plan to go (such as Pelagos in Mediterranean Sea).
  2. I anchor with care and whenever available use eco responsible mooring or ecological anchor to protect seabed.
  3. I properly maintain engines, generators, hull and propellers to ensure optimum efficiency and reduce pollutions risks.
  4. I use an ecological anti-fouling for the maintenance of hull in order to optimize my consumption and not participate in the movement of invasive species.
  5. I do not take any marine species during my sea strips & I get informed on fishing restriction rules in the area I will go).
  6. Use zero impact/fully biodegradable cleaning and personal hygiene products.

 

  1. Reduce and avoid all plastic such as straws, bottled water, containers, and packaging. Green Your Galley (Glass containers, Wooden utensils, cloth napkins, green cleaning products). Efficient galley provisioning and organization can minimize waste for crew and guest areas.
  1. I turn off lights and equipment when not in use.
  2. When it’s possible, I run the washing machine with a quick wash cycle and law temperature (30°C).
  3. I moderate the air conditioning/heating.
  4. I reduce my water consumption during the wash down.
  1. Respect and preserve the marine environment (leave no traces behind you).
  2. Buy local product for a lower carbon print supply chain and with a less as possible packaging.
  3. When possible, I take a moment to collect the waste that I find at sea.
  4. Donate unwanted food, towels, linen, uniform and equipment to local charities
  1. Help owners & guests understand the challenges and our responsibility to protect the marine environment.
  2. Be informed and train your crew with our NEW YCM LBCA training on Responsible practices   https://labelleclasseacademy.com/course-category/etyc-training/

+ 40 MĒTRES YACHTS

  1. All yachts, including yachts exempted by size, should comply with MARPOL IV sewage discharge regulations, and avoid discharging sewage at anchor or close inshore.
  2. Avoid discharging grey water at anchor or close inshore.
  3. Avoid using high sulfur fuel due to sulfur oxides, which can cause acid rain and particulate pollution.
  4. Use environmentally friendly cleaning products.
  1. Use water carefully and conscientiously, use a spray gun water hose pipe.
  2. Donate unwanted food, towels, linen, clothing and equipment to local charities and associations.
  3. Always compact and sort waste to MARPOL V Garbage regulations or as per local marina/port rules.
  4. Try to buy local products for a lower carbon print supply chain and with a less as possible packaging (reducing the waste at the end).
  1. Reduce and avoid all plastic such as straws, bottled water, containers, and packaging. Green Your Galley (Glass containers, Wooden utensils, cloth napkins, green cleaning products). Efficient galley provisioning and organization can minimize waste for crew and guest areas.
  1. Promote the use of more efficient and cleaner technologies such as catalytic converters.
  2. Optimize speed and use weather forecast and weather routing to reduce consumption and hull noise, reducing waves not to disturb aquatic fauna & flora.  Turn off lights and equipment when not in use to reduce electrical consumption.
  3. Properly maintain engines, generators, hull and propellers to ensure optimum efficiency (eg. by using antifouling: propeller efficiency and performance of the keel).
  4. Use when possible a water maker at sea.
  5. Calculate your CO2 emissions and obtain a certificate www.sea-index.com
  6. Upgrade and optimize existing systems for co-generation and power saving units (as frequency converters on electric motors and so on).
  7. As for the safety, crew instructions on consumption reducing attitudes (closing doors, lights off in unused rooms, do not let the water open unless necessary, gather transport to / from the ship …).
  1. Use zero impact/fully biodegradable cleaning and personal hygiene products.
  2. Equip yachts with technologies such as REPCET for cetaceans’ collision avoidance.
  3. Always anchor with care and whenever available use eco responsible mooring systems or Dynamic Positioning to protect the seabed.
  1. Respect and preserve the marine environment (leave no traces behind you).
  2. Participate and encourage actions to mitigate our impact e.g. cleaning beaches.
  3. Develop systems to be able to know own consumption of energy in order to wake awareness.
  1. Help owners & guests understand the challenges and our responsibility to protect the marine environment.
  2. Be informed and train your crew with our NEW YCM LBCA training on Responsible practices   https://labelleclasseacademy.com/course-category/etyc-training/
  1. Share information and ideas with other Captains through the Captains’ Club.
  2. Share the technical data of your Superyacht (on a confidential basis) to help the SEA INDEX Tool to be more precise and expandable and obtain your certificate SEA INDEX.
  3. Be an ambassador of the Captains Club ECO CHART

SUPERYACHTS CAPTAINS’ COMMENTS

Mr Paul Flannery Executive Director IYBA
Read comments...“Developed by The Yacht Club de Monaco and endorsed by IYBA, The Sea Index was the first offering in a set of guidelines in Eco friendly new construction and refit methods. Eco Chart is a follow-on guide that gives mariners a roadmap to green operations whether they are implementing new technologies or operating older vessels. The practice of these recommendations will help Superyachts Owners and Captains adopt responsible behaviors that enhance their boating experiences and keep an eye toward sustainability. IYBA is proud to stand with The Yacht Club de Monaco in endorsing these practices.”
Captain Matthias Du Verle M/Y Queen Aida 50m
Read comments...“The awareness of Captains and Owners has tremendously improved in the last few years and we all agree on the objectives to reduce our negative impacts. But future imperatives go even further as our whole industry will be held accountable and its very existence will be jeopardized if we are not able to demonstrate an overall positive impact on our environment. The work that we are conducting with the YCM is not only about mitigation, but also about passing an exam where the next generation will judge our efforts.”
Captain Alessandro Flora M/Y Cristal Lady 47m
Read comments...“As per annex Marpol Chapter 4 no vessel should ever discharge and pollute close to shore. Like for instance vessels in port, at anchor or on a buoy. Also, anchoring close to shore causes damage to sea life, like corals, sea weeds (Posidonia) etc. as said yesterday during the meeting it is our duty as captains to promote respect and protect the environment to leave a better world to the future generations.”
Captain Christopher Gartner S/Y Blackpearl 107m
Read comments..."It is so refreshing to be part of a motivated group of professionals that are taking the ETHOS that we must try to change our present attitude in regards to working in a more ECO-FRIENDLY manner. I know that we would all agree that it is hard enough to make any ECO changes when we are based on Terra Firma and even more very difficult while we are floating on the worlds oceans and seaways, but with a little initiative from all of us, we can make a difference! Even if it is a small change in our day to day operations, it will make a difference, maybe not right away, but it will help moving forward into the future. I promote what the YCM is doing with the ECO Chart and in making SEA a successful program, along with the assistance of the YCM Captains. Something must be done today to assist in the reduction in the day-to-day pollution that is taking place in our world, and we can make a difference!"
Captain Sophie Galvagnon, M/Y POLARFRONT 55m
Read comments...« We have also installed a fountain onboard and reusable cups for the crew and the passengers. For a total of 30 persons onboard, it is about 400kg pure plastic of single used bottle / per year saved! We also have onboard a positive reward for the best “green attitude” crew per month to recognize effort made or improvements regarding the environment.”
Captain Dario Savino, M/Y REGINA D'ITALIA 65m
Read comments...“We should all ask for real marine protected areas to be enforced, not to “fake” marine area compliance where there is enough pay and behave like before.”
Captain Adrian Croft M/Y SEA RANGER 78m
Read comments...“There were a number of good environmental operational best practices/points raised in this meeting that I had not considered before.Following on from this meeting I would like to see further consolidation of such best practices propagated towards encouraging our maritime sector particularly in yacht operations to actively adopt where feasible. Having such a formative collection of industry environmental best practices would be a great start”.
Captain Adolfo Oria, ex M/Y EXUMA 50m

Read comments...“Always anchor more than 30m of depth when owners request to anchor as close as possible to the shore, we need to force ourselves to raise awareness and educate our guests and owner to protect the seabed”.
Captain Ulrich Baer M/Y BEST OFF 33m
Read comments...“I believe we as Captains have to influence the shipyards not to build yachts without a wastewater treatment system and even without a bilge water separator! We all should use already the experiences existing in the cruise liner industry. There are existing so called multi-functional water treatment systems.”
Captain Thierry Roux M/Y MIMTEE 79m
Read comments...“We do and recommend to turn off 60 % of our equipment when guests are not onboard”