If you’ve missed any of this year's Ocean Talks event (sponsored and supported by Ocean Family Foundation (OFF)) we have put together brief recaps of each and every inspiring event that has run across five exciting days this week.
MONDAY 7 JUNE: IG Live with industry leaders
Superyachting’s biggest names joined us for an Instagram Live on @boatinternational to discuss the industry’s greener future. Andrew Winch (founder of Winch Design), Peter Lürssen (CEO of Lürssen) and Jonathan Beckett (CEO of Burgess) came together to tell BOAT's Stewart Campbell what measures their companies are taking to advance a greener future.
Along with plenty of personal anecdotes, the panel discussed how they have seen superyacht stakeholder’s eco-awareness improve and change within the industry, and in what ways they are actively encouraging owners to engage with the cause. By identifying that the biggest shift towards a greener future has been over the course of the last seven years, Winch, Beckett and Lürssen agreed that although there are plenty of companies driving forward new technologies and designs to help lower the impact of yachting, the solution will never be down to one person, but rather the industry as a whole.
TUESDAY 8 JUNE: Exclusive Saving Our Seas film released
Meet some of the innovators fighting for change in our exclusive short film Saving Our Seas.
Edited by BOAT, the film includes Nina Jensen from Project REV, designers Bart Bouwhuis and Marnix Hoekstra from Vripack, Jenny Keisu from X Shore and the Green Stewardess, as well as North Sails and UKSA.
WEDNESDAY 9 JUNE: Superyachts and the plastic problem
Those who tuned into the BOAT Clubhouse session would have been able to interact with the discussion on what is next for the battle against plastic in our seas. Here are a few key points that arose from the chat:
Frederikke Magnussen, co-founder of eco-company A Plastic Planet, asked whether owners and the yacht industry are doing enough to solve the "plastic problem" and sought answers from the star-studded panel which included CEO and founder of Arksen Jasper Smith, broadcaster Ben Fogle, executive director of the Water Revolution Foundation Robert van Tol and co-creative Director of Vripack Marnix Hoekstra.
"I think it's very important that everyone realises we are addicted to this wonderful substance that is destroying the planet," began Frederikke Magnussen. "And I am ready for change."
Ben Fogle spoke passionately about the wider issues of pollution in a post-pandemic world and why having a pragmatic approach to fighting climate change is important. “A lot of people are patting themselves on the back, thinking we’ve had a green year of no travel. But this isn’t the case, in some ways we’re in a worse position because of the amount of PPE related wastage," he said.
He continued: “If we try and encourage everyone to change by just 10%, that is going to have a deeper impact than 10% of people trying to be perfect. In my house, we try and make as many small changes as we can, which is an easy way we can all make a positive start."
THURSDAY 10 JUNE: Expert advice on how to keep a superyacht sustainable
In celebration of Ocean Talks, brokerage firm Fraser has offered up some special hints and tips for the yachting community on how to easily reduce the environmental impact of yacht operation – including advice from Robbie Bobby owner, Ian Worboys (see above). Take a look at what the Fraser GREEN TEAM have to say here.
FRIDAY 11 JUNE: BOAT Briefing Podcast with
This week's episode of BOAT Briefing caps a week-long celebration of ocean conservation and features an interview with Joss Kent, CEO of luxury travel company &Beyond, and scientist Dr Tessa Hempson about responsible tourism and the work they're doing to protect the seas of East Africa. We also look back at the creation of our Ocean Awards, and the fantastic Yachts for Science initiative. This week's data story, meanwhile, concerns those greenest of boats – sailing yachts.
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