A promising Investment in the Ecological and Economic Transition of Yachting
A Bet for the Future in the Ecological and Economic Transition of Yachting
Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina Rendezvous – Monaco, September 23, 2024
The 4th edition of the Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina Rendezvous concluded today at the Yacht Club de Monaco, after two intense days of conferences, networking, and presentations. Organized by Monaco Marina Management (M3), the event brought together over 250 maritime industry professionals and numerous investors from around the world to meet innovators. Their common goal is to modernize and make maritime infrastructures more sustainable. This gathering demonstrates how sustainability is becoming a true driver of change. A selection of 20 start-ups and scale-ups, a dozen architectural firms, and a dozen marinas were present. “The yachting of tomorrow must be smart and sustainable. Maritime infrastructures must adapt to new needs, and this event highlights these changes,” said José Marco Casellini, CEO of M3.
A Forward-Looking Meeting for Sustainable Yachting
Supported by leading partners such as the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, Extended Monaco, UBS, MB92 Group, and Bombardier, this edition emphasized the importance of technological innovations and cross-sector collaborations to address current environmental challenges. Alongside a morning conference, the innovation pitch sessions showcased the novel solutions of start-ups and scale-ups, placing sustainable innovation at the heart of the discussions. “We see that sustainability and technological innovation are mutually reinforcing. Innovations focus on creating a more promising future for the planet,” stated Bernard d’Alessandri, Secretary-General of the Y.C.M. and President of the Cluster Yachting Monaco. “The quest for sustainability is an urgent requirement. As yachting enthusiasts, it is our duty to promote these positive and sustainable innovation efforts.”
Sustainable Innovations: Experts Take the Floor
This edition featured three conferences addressing the industry’s challenges and solutions. The first conference focused on the role of technologies in optimizing unique experiences at marinas. Moderated by Captain Gino Battaglia, President of the Italian Yacht Masters Association and event partner, the discussion featured specialists such as Captain Kelly J. Gordon, who highlighted the need for practical tools like a smart docking application. Maria Vera Vives, Head of Expansion and Sustainable Development at Alcudiamar Marina (Spain), presented sustainability initiatives, such as the use of smart terminals to measure energy consumption. Randy Durband, CEO of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (South Korea), emphasized the importance of data collection for sustainable management, while Stavros Katsikadis, Chairman of the Board of the Greek Marinas Association & General Manager of LAMDA Marinas Investments S.M.S.A. (Greece), discussed the integration of traditional and digital methods for better resource management. These interventions highlighted the efficiency and necessary digitalization of operations, as well as the complementarity between the needs of captains and marina managers to improve sustainability.
The second conference, led by Pascal Ferry, Deputy Director of IMSEE (Monaco Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies), explored the challenges of financing sustainable marina development. Ronnie Ben Zur, founder of Habacoa Marina, Klaus Peters, CEO of InterMarinas, and Liza Singer, lawyer and founder of Karpaz Gate Marina, discussed investment obstacles. The difficulty of finding investments and the importance of land guarantees, as well as labor and energy costs, were key topics. Data collection and transparency were also identified as essential levers to attract more funding and create new opportunities. They discussed the importance of integrating sustainability from the design phase and the synergies between marinas and real estate projects.
The final session, led by Oscar Siches, marina specialist and designer, brought together Effie Nakajima from Zaha Hadid Architects, Nicolas Jarry, Head of Maritime Projects and Port Structures at Tractebel Engineering, Janna Bystrykh, Director of the Master’s Program in Architecture at the Academy of Architecture (Netherlands), and Henry Glogau, an architectural innovator. They emphasized the need to apply regenerative architectural principles in marina design, while agreeing that collaboration between architects and engineers is essential to tackle contemporary environmental challenges.
2024 Winners: Recognition by Their Peers
The International Smart & Sustainable Marina Awards closed the event by recognizing the most outstanding projects:
• Architecture Award: The 2024 design contest focused this year on creating an innovative floating marina in sensitive areas of the south of France.
• Student Architecture Award – Cornelia Bosman (University of Pretoria, South Africa): Her project stood out for its thorough approach, combining innova*on and exemplary eco-responsible thinking.
• Professional Architecture Award – STRUCTURELAB (Germany): Praised for its elegant and modular design, this project offers an aesthetic and functional solution. The firm focuses on ecological and sustainable architecture, including modular wood construction, property transformation, smart densification, and green facades.
• Public’s Favorite – Architecture – ARROGANT ARCHITECTS (Bulgaria): This firm was favored by the public for its commitment to sustainability, including the implementation of artificial nurseries, improved thermal insulation, seawater heat pumps, and the use of prefabricated and local materials to reduce CO2 emissions. Their modular approach also optimizes construction processes, reducing costs and maximizing efficiency.
• Marina Award – ALCUDIAMAR (Spain): The marina uses intelligent energy management systems to optimize electricity and water consumption, reducing its carbon footprint. It has installed charging stations for electric vehicles and boats and adopts innovative waste management solutions, such as the Flovac system. The marina has also reduced its paper use by promoting online services, QR codes, and internal digital document management.
• Jury’s Favorite – Marina – SETUR MARINAS KAS (Turkey): The jury awarded this marina for its sustainable investments, including solar installations and biodiversity preservation strategies. Committed to environmental protection, it holds several distinctions like the Blue Flag and ISO 14001:2015 labels. Its actions include managing invasive species, investing in renewable energy, and a waste management strategy to reduce plastic pollution.
• Start-up Award – CLEAN SEA SOLUTIONS (Norway): With Aquapod® and Aquadrone, patented technologies that collect plastic waste in urban coastal areas, preventing their entry into the oceans, this start-up’s visionary approach to tackling plastic pollution earned it the first prize.
• Scale-up Award – ECOCEAN (France): The company won the scale-up prize for its impact on marine biodiversity regeneration in marinas through its Biohut® solution, an artificial nursery installed in over 50 ports that protects young fish by recreating local food chains and supporting the development of over 500 species.
Innovators (start-ups and scale-ups) are also offered an international development support program by Robert Allen Law, partner of the event.
Professionals will meet again at the Yacht Club de Monaco on Thursday, September 26, for the 28th Captains’ Forum dedicated to the image of yachting.
Join us for the 5th Edition : https://form.jotform.com/242822808086360
