The third edition of the World Yachting Sustainability Forum shed light on the potential ramifications of GHG (greenhouse gas) protocols on the yachting industry, with speakers urging the industry towards collaborative efforts in the fight for more sustainable superyachting.
Held at the Genoa International Boat Show and organised by BOAT International's sister publication IBI and the Italian Marine Industry Association, other topics on the agenda included the life cycle of superyachts and the perceived "secrecy" surrounding megayacht construction.
Speakers included Margherita Sacerdoti of Ferretti Group, Andrea Guido of Sanlorenzo, Erik Stromberg of Beneteau Group, Nicola Pomi of Volvo Penta and Paolo Moretti of RINA Services. Dan Lenard of Nuvolari Lenard also joined the stage for a portion of the panel, and the roundtable was moderated by IBI's editor-in-chief Ed Slack.
The speakers presented business cases for decarbonisation and delved into subjects such as the proper development of infrastructure, the practical challenges of ESG applications and the long-term commercial benefits of adopting new technologies.
Moderator Ed Slack noted that: "From increased regulations upstream to the investors’ need to protect themselves from greenwashing, to the growing consumer demand for sustainable solutions, it is only a matter of time before SMEs, the businesses that make up the majority of our industry, are drawn into the orbit of compliance with serious ramifications and cost implications. It is crucial to set industry standards and work collaboratively to help the industry move towards effective ESG strategies”.
The forum is one of many conferences taking place during the Genoa Boat Show, which is held between 19 - 24 September and is celebrating its 64th edition this year.