The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation is officially launching a new initiative, Sustainable Yachting Network which is aimed at reinforcing the development of sustainable yachting. Florestan Fillon explains more.
Having taken its first steps in sustainability nearly 13 years ago with the launch of the Wood Forever Pact, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation is now strengthening its commitment through the creation of the Sustainable Yachting Network (SYN) alongside its partners the Yacht Club de Monaco, Monaco Yacht Show, Monaco Yachting Cluster and the RAMOGE Agreement.
The SYN’s mission is to support and grow a network of committed stakeholders in the yachting industry – shipyards, designers, captains and crews, shipowners, equipment
and raw material suppliers, service providers, federations, regulators, media and educators – to promote the development of sustainable solutions.
It has defined three areas of action:
- organising activities and events to promote the implementation of innovative sustainable solutions adapted to the needs of the sector
- producing information tools to improve knowledge of sustainable solutions, technologies, as well as regulations to help the yachting industry improve its impact on our ecosystems
- supporting projects and programs aimed at developing innovative sustainable solutions in connection with the yachting sector and environmental protection
This year the SYN co-organised a few events notably the Yachting Environment Symposium during the Monaco Ocean Week in March plus a conference during the Solar Energy Boat Challenge and the first meeting of the Monaco Hydrogen Working Group.
The SYN and the development of hydrogen
Held under the aegis of the Sustainable Yachting Network with support of the Yacht Club de Monaco and the Prince Albert II Foundation, the Monaco Hydrogen Working Group held its first meeting on July 5th 2019 during the Solar Energy Boat Challenge. The objective was to bring Monegasque government and institutions together with key international players in the hydrogen technology sector to explore the potential for a hydrogen production plant in the Principality and its various applications especially in the maritime sector.
“We are at a pivotal point in the use of hydrogen,” commented H.E. Mr Bernard Fautrier, Vice-President of the Prince Albert II Foundation, as he opened the round table.
Hydrogen is seen by many to be an ideal clean energy source with no pollution for the environment. Around the world momentum is gathering to develop this resource, with many nations including the Scandinavian countries and Japan, orienting development of technologies to exploit this source to meet the environmental and energy challenges of our century. It was in this context to coincide with the Solar & Energy Boat Challenge that the Monaco Hydrogen Working Group emerged.
“It is essential to bring the various players together around hydrogen, as it is no longer a utopia but a reality,” said YCM General Secretary, Bernard d’Alessandri.
The meeting proved that on one hand hydrogen technology is developing greatly with new methods allowing hydrogen to be more efficient than ever and much easier to utilise. It also demonstrated that the Monaco context seem favorable. With Monaco’s energy transition policy to be carbon neutral by 2050, hydrogen represents a very attractive solution.
For more details contact [email protected]
or visit fpa2.org/sustainable-yachting¬network-en.html
