Energy consumption and conscious design key topics 23rd Benetti Yachtmaster

Energy consumption and a pragmatic approach to sustainability were the themes underpinning the 23rd edition of Benetti Yachtmaster. Held in the Middle East for the first time since its inception, the event involved three days of discussion and seminars on innovation and best practice when it comes to reducing a yacht’s environmental impact.

The Italian shipyard took a different approach to the matter of sustainability than many of its fellow boatbuilders, steering the conversation away from alternative fuels. Less definitive in their quest for carbon neutrality and the fuel of the future, the team at Benetti maintained that sustainable engineering does not start and finish with propulsion. Instead, it has been focusing its design, research and development efforts on hull efficiency, weight saving and energy consumption.

“Green is a nice colour,” said chief commercial officer Sebastiano Fanizza, but warned the room of the troubles of greenwashing and pointed to the automotive industry. “In Italy, I can charge my Tesla but the electricity is made from 70 per cent non-renewable sources.” He added: "There are many ways to talk about sustainability, but energy is the word that we need to keep in mind.” Benetti believes that there are a number of technological solutions still to be found beyond the engine room.

This conservative approach and focus on creating greater efficiency on board is based on the average operational profile of a superyacht and the breakdown of energy consumption – two key areas of discussion at the 23rd Benetti Yachtmaster. 

A study by Water Revolution Foundation found that a typical superyacht spends 57 per cent of its time in the harbour, 33 per cent at anchor and 10 per cent cruising. With the yacht stationary for the majority of the time, switching up the propulsion system can only achieve so much in improving the carbon footprint of the yacht. And so the attention then turns to the hotel load. Marco Coiatelli, head of basic and executive design departments at Benetti, broke down the typical onboard consumption of power.

Using a 67-metre Benetti B.Now model as an example, the load balance was calculated at 43 per cent of total power attributed to propulsion and 55 per cent for the hotel load, with the biggest consumers of energy being air conditioning, galley and laundry appliances and fresh water and pool water heaters. Practical solutions include recycling heat from the generators to warm up pools, switching galley and laundry equipment from three-phase to single-phase power, and developing more intuitive power management systems. 

Another topic of conversation was how to make a vessel more sustainable in its design and finish. Sebastiano Vida, head of product development for Benetti's custom yacht division, spoke on the importance of material choice and the responsibility of the shipyard to offer alternative solutions that lessen the environmental impact of the build, reduce the overall weight of the vessel and consider second-life usage. As an example, 60 per cent of the total weight of the 67-metre B.Now model is recyclable and 45 per cent of the total value of the vessel is recyclable.

That is not to say the shipyard isn't looking into alternative fuels. Azimut-Benetti Group executive vice president Giovanna Vitelli announced that the shipyard had commissioned a research project into alternative fuels “to be realistic, to be pragmatic, and to study the whole scenario not just in an academic way but to have the answers also relating to the production, distribution and storage of these alternative fuels, otherwise it's a nice one-off but it is not a real answer for the market.” 

The shipyard also took the opportunity to celebrate its 150th anniversary and its dominance in the Global Order Book, which it topped for the 23rd successive year. The event concluded with a guided tour of the presidential palace Qasr Al Watan and a gala dinner at the Emirates Palace.