http://www.boatinternational.com | February 2016PHOTOGRAPHS: SHUTTERSTOCK; CLAUS JORDAN
MISSION ON EMISSIONS
Superyacht yards building mid-sized boats have been given a five year
deadline to develop tech that meets strict new rules on emissions at
sea. At time of press, NOx Tier III regulations were due to come into
effect in January for yachts over 24 metres and above 500GT. Now
yachts over 24 metres but less than 500GT won’t be affected until
January 2021. Industry bodies ICOMIA and MYBA argued that the rules,laid down by the International Maritime Organisation, had the potential
to make yachts in the 30 to 40 metre range unviable. With the catalytic
units required to treat exhaust too big for existing engine room designs,
guest areas would have to be sacrificed and this would deter clients. The
five year delay is intended to give the industry time to develop solutions
for Tier III-compliant installations on 30 to 40 metre yachts.ON YOUR MARKS, OFFSET, GO
Owners are increasingly concerned with mitigating
the environmental impact of their superyachts,
according to a carbon offsetting scheme that
has burgeoned over recent months. “We’ve had
a storming year,” says Mark Robinson, founder
of Yacht Carbon Offset. “We’re about 25 per cent
year-on-year growth, so there are people out
there who want to carbon offset their boats.”
The captains of boats that take part report
the quantity of fuel used by the yacht and Yacht
Carbon Offset calculates the CO 2 released
when that fuel is burned. Tonne for tonne, it
counteracts this with greenhouse gas reductions
by investment in projects.
Robinson is confident the carbon saving is
properly measured and audited. Yacht Carbon
Offset’s system for delivering offset is also audited
by Lloyd’s Register. “It costs less than two euro
cents per litre of fuel, so it’s a very modest
incremental cost,” says Robinson. Yachts including
52.5 metre Benetti Latitude and 67 metre
explorer Global have signed up for the scheme.
yachtcarbonoffset.com
FEBRUARYNEWS
New marine reserves, intrepid
fundraisers, the latest
eco-friendly yacht designs,
2016’s edition ofMegayachtsand
wherenextforoceanscience?Bigsplashfortinynation
The tiny Pacific archipelago of Palau is to
createamarinereservethesizeofCalifornia.
Commercial fishing and oil drilling, two of
the biggest threats to the world’s oceans, will
be banned in the region.
The 500,000km^2 area covers 80 per cent
of Palau’s territorial waters and will be one of
the largestprotectedareasintheworld.
Legislation to protect the region, which ishome to more than 700 species of coral, has
been approved by Palau’s Congress and
PresidentTommyERemengesauJrsaidthat
themovementprovedthata“smallisland
nationcanhaveabigimpactontheocean”.
Palau created the world ’s first shark
sanctuaryin2009anditsreefsareamongthe
underwater wonders of the world. It is also
developing as an eco-tourism destination.David Coulthard
“I grew up beside the
Solway Firth and my school,
the Kirkcudbright Academy,
overlooked the sea so I was always aware
of the importance of reducing pollution
and preserving the ecosystem that
provided the lifeblood of our local
community. The Ocean Awards
are a great step in helping
make that happen.”ON BOARD
Ya s m i n L e B o n
“I can’t think of anything more
important than the preservation of
our oceans and all that lives in them. All
life begins there and can end there. If we
can’t do this, everything else in life is just
a sideshow. I fully support the Ocean
Awards. I want people to realise that
there is hope because there are brave,
visionary, creative people trying
to make a dierence
to our world.”29