Yacht owners are increasingly become more eco-conscious and are now seeking ways to create greener ocean-going vessels in efforts to reduce their environmental footprint.
This green change is being driven, in part, by millennial magnates who are changing the future of yachting and the way in which the world’s elite travel. More in tune with today’s environmental crisis, these ultra-high-net-worth-individuals want to be seen to be doing their part, making eco-conscious travel and purchasing decisions such as investing in shared yacht ownership or chartering lower-impact vessels.
Indeed, today’s yachts are challenging the idea that these vessels are purely about excess, as modern technology combined with the application of science and eco-innovation allows for low-impact yachting. In response, the yacht industry is now charting a path towards sustainability, coming up with innovative ways to create more eco-friendly yachts, including hybrid yachts that boast a suite of onboard sustainability credentials. Indeed, the future of yachting looks greener and more innovative than ever before.
Here are just some of the ways the future of yachting is changing
Eco-friendly hybrid yachts
One of the biggest changes in the future of yachting has been the development of hybrid yachts. These vessels utilise hybrid propulsion systems, driven by a combination of electric battery and engine power, significantly reducing their environmental impact.
One such boat is the aptly named 23-metre HYBRID YACHT ADLER SUPREMA, a stunning vessel available for fractional yacht ownership with SmartYacht. Boasting state-of-the-art German and Austrian engineering coupled with chic Italian design, this striking hybrid yacht is packed with a wide range of eco-friendly credentials. 
The yacht’s HMS hybrid engine combines the power of two 1,100-hp Caterpillar engines and two 100kw ATE high-performance e-generators that offer emission and vibration free propulsion of up to 11 knots. Additionally, thanks to her exceptional battery capacity, guests can enjoy all day long electric comfort, without starting a generator or engine. Indeed, thanks to this innovative hybrid yacht’s propulsion systems guests can enjoy a far eco-friendlier experience – something that we look forward to seeing even more of in the future.
Innovative green design features
The future of yachting however doesn’t just stop at hybrid yachts. Other innovative features include solar panels, wastewater recycling systems, solar sails, and state-of-the-art dynamic positioning systems.
Shipbuilders are increasingly turning to innovative materials too, including carbon fibre hulls, which help reduce the weight of superyachts and therefore reduce the power that is required to propel them through the water. Other innovations include an uptick in the demand for sailing yachts and multi-hull vessels that are naturally eco-friendlier.
Today’s yachts are carefully designed with sustainability in mind. Teak wood, one of the world’s most endangered woods, is now rarely used, with yacht designers seeking eco-friendly alternatives, while every facet of the ship’s interior is designed to be a green as possible. Additionally, during the yacht’s construction shipbuilders are increasingly seeking locally sourced products to cut down on freighting.
Future of yachting embraces onboard sustainability
Sustainability doesn’t just stop at the yacht’s cutting-edge eco-friendly construction and interiors. Indeed, the way in which yachts operate are now greener than ever. Onboard the ship’s crew need to be as eco-conscious as possible, with small changes all adding up to help further boost a yacht’s green credentials, a trend that is set to grow in the future of yachting.
Increasingly hybrid yachts now have on-board gardens where the culinary team grow herbs, spices, and select produce, creating an onboard farm-to-fork dining experience.
Additionally, meals are carefully planned out to minimise waste, while produce is carefully sourced at the yacht’s local destination to ensure it has been locally and organically grown to further minimise the yacht’s environmental impact. This in turn creates innovative menus that reflect the locale of the yacht’s destination, offering a varied and ever-changing roster of culinary delights.
Of course, carbon-offsetting is now de rigueur with yacht owners and their guests, who can offset their carbon footprint by donating to eco-friendly projects around the world. There’s no doubt that the future of yachting is undergoing a change for the better, and while a completely green emissions-free yacht is still a way off, these small innovative changes are adding up to a big green difference.
