United to protect our Planet's future and other green stories

by Désirée Sormani

UNITED TO PROTECT OUR PLANET’S FUTURE

Milan was the setting for the first Blue Economy Summit organised by One Ocean Foundation, bringing together scientists, entrepreneurs and representatives from international bodies to discuss ways of protecting our oceans and the urgent need for action to build a blue economy that keeps marine resources safe for future generations

Below, bottom, Riccardo Bonadeo, President of the One Ocean Foundation, with Marco Tronchetti Provera, Together with the partners he intends making this an annual event so that the Blue Economy summit can open up a new way forward. Top, right, Giovanna Vitelli among the speakers.

The first Blue Economy summit was held at Milan’s Bocconi University and live streamed worldwide. The event was organised by the One Ocean Foundation, an Italian not-for-profit operating internationally for the protection of the marine environment, and enjoyed the institutional partnership of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. For the first time a round table was launched in Italy on the importance of acting to safeguard the oceans and the urgent need to build a blue economy that keeps marine resources safe for future generations.

Presenter Terry Garcia, former long-serving president of the National Geographic Society, welcomed to the stage global leaders from the worlds of science, enterprise and Institutions under the slogan “We do not talk, we walk

the talk”. Also present was a panel of Italian executives, including Giovanna Vitelli, President of Azimut |Benetti, representing the yacht-building Industry and Marco Tronchetti Provera, executive Vice President Pirelli, in his role as owner. This gathering of authoritative voices discussed the current state of environmental awareness in industry, with a special emphasis on marine resources. The roster of international guests also included iconic oceanographer Sylvia Earle and Kilaparti Ramakrishna, one of the world’s greatest experts in environmental policy. Earle is now 87 years old but still stands on the front line of ocean defence. In her words, “Awareness is the first step we must take in dealing with the problem. We can all a play our part and contribute our skills to obtain significant results”. And under the slogan “We are all droplets of the ocean. We can manage if we act as one”, Ms. Kitlang Kabua, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for the Republic of the Marshall Islands, described how island populations experience the effects of rising sea levels and coastal erosion every day, highlighting the pressing need to take concrete action to combat the problems facing our planet’s oceans, problems that will have an increasingly damaging impact on our lives and the lives of our children.

GREEN HORIZONS ]

BAGLIETTO TOWARDS ZERO EMITIONS

The Italian yard Baglietto has made a firm commitment to achieving a target of zero emissions. It’s called “Bzero Working for an evolving future” where Bzero is the first and perhaps the most important of the nine Bs that comprise Baglietto’s value system - Bold, Boutique, Balance, Borderless, Brave, Background, Brilliant, Beauty. The initiative is based on the use of green hydrogen as an energy source, and currently involves the construction of a system prototype that will then be installed on Baglietto yachts over 50 metres in length. The prototype will be used to develop an operating procedure that optimises the technical elements, enabling the yacht to obtain the naval certification that will allow the system to be used on board the yachts. It will also help develop the system’s ability to refill the hydrogen tanks autonomously or from external sources, compensating for the lack of infrastructure and speeding up refuelling. The power station forms part of a virtuous system, contributing to the yard’s energy production cycle. “The BZERO project is a significant starting point in overcoming the great challenge of the future, underpinned by a deep sense of responsibility”, says Diego Michele Deprati, CEO of Baglietto, “But it also confirms Baglietto’s pioneering vision and its commitment to an increasingly sustainable and green yacht-building industry”. The system also has an exciting commercial potential. “With this technology on board it’s possible to imagine zero emissions for up to 75 hours, and sailing 120 nautical miles at 7 knots”, says Fabio Ermetto, Baglietto’s commercial director. “In fact, the combined use of hydrogen and batteries will make it possible to obtain four times the available

energy produced by modern batteries, with an undoubted financial advantage for owners, too”, Baglietto has also recently set up a department, “Baglietto Energy”, dedicated to the study of new, eco-sustainable technology. Its remit is to research the implementation of alternative energy sources and their application in the marine sector. Baglietto is working with six internationally renowned partners, all with research and development teams in ItalyArco Technologies, Bluenergy Revolution, Enapter, H2boat and Siemens Energy, with RINA playing the role of certification agency at all stages of the project. Baglietto has also forged an agreement with Portofino

The BZERO project is a significant starting point in overcoming the great challenge of the future, underpinned by a deep sense of responsibility.

Yacht, and the result of this alliance will be the world presentation of the first model in the 52 metre T52 line, the first from the seagull brand to feature hybrid propulsion.

Below, Baglietto’s CEO Diego Michele Deprati (left) with Portofino’s Mayor Matteo Viacava

GENOA HOSTS THE FIRST WORLD SUSTAINABILITY FORUM

Thefirst edition of the Shaping the Future - World Yachting Sustainability Forum has taken place in Genoa, hosting a debate on the importance of creating shared initiatives in the yacht-building industry. The ultimate aim is to fall in line with the objectives of the UN’s Agenda 2030 and the Green Deal, the EU’s green commitment that aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The event, organised by Confindustria Nautica with

the International Boat Industry (IBI), saw the participation of over 100 entrepreneurs from Italy’s yacht-building industry as well as guests from international organisations and the world media. The event was opened by the President of Confindustria Nautica, Saverio Cecchi, illustrating the pioneering role that Italy’s pleasure sailing industry is taking on in response to future challenges and managing new opportunities. Stefano Pagani Isnardi,

Research Office Director for Confindustria Nautica, pointed out that while the yacht industry already has a minimal environmental footprint, it is investing heavily in technological innovation and is now entering a period of genuine progress towards new sustainability objectives. A round table with a panel of international guests - Jeff Wasil (NMMA Director of Environment, Health & Safety Compliance), Nicola Pomi (Director Yacht and Superyacht division, Volvo Penta), Michele Francioni (Vice President, MSC Cruises) and Troy Baltic and Erik Dellborg of McKinsey - discussed the most important challenges facing the sector. All agreed that the nautical industry must continue to share the successes already achieved in the progress towards decarbonisation and focus on the importance of a collective approach. “Confindustria Nautica continues to play a crucial awarenessraising role in companies in the sector”, said Marina Stella, director general of Confindustria Nautica, “and will also continue to support them in this transition by supporting the construction of comprehensive networks and initiating talks with the association’s Sustainability Committee, which takes an active role in all international panels.

A START-UP FOR ECOLOGICAL YACHTS

Santelmo,

the new yacht-building yard that recently made its debut at the Milan Design Week, is to design its cutting-edge yachts at Bolzano’s international research and innovation hub, NOI Techpark. Opened in 2017, the South Tyrol technology park hosts some of the most promising start-ups, research centres and businesses working to support Italy’s progress towards an environmental and economic transition. NOI Techpark’s decision to work with the brand, owned by Michele Chierici (left) and Marta Ghirardelli, is the result of their common objectives. All members of the NOI Techpark community share a passionate interest in eco-sustainable innovation, a concept that underpins Santelmo’s design philosophy. All the yard’s yachts are built from aluminium alloy, and will contain more than 90% renewable materials. They will also feature fuel cells powered by green hydrogen.

TheSolbian company specialises in manufacturing solar panels. The company has commissioned Forethinking, an innovation and sustainability consultancy, to carry out research into designing flexible, low environmental impact solar panels. The project was inspired by an encounter between Gennaro Durante, CEO of Forethinking, and famous Italian skipper Giovanni Soldini, co-founder of Solbian. The resulting initiative is motivated by the shared desire to create systems that can generate clean energy and minimise

the negative impact on the environment, from construction to disposal. The work carried out by Forethinking for Solbian focussed on eco-design and its future development and is in line with EU directives on extending producers’ responsibilities. The project is based on a tailor-made analytical method for assessing the product’s environmental impact throughout its entire life. This was followed by the development of a parametric model for research and innovation activities based on scientific data, wit the aim of reducing the ecological impact of product and processes. There are two main challenges to overcome in the successive phases of the analysis – to further reduce the impact of materials, already lower than that produced by traditional panels, and design new systems for panel re-use and materials recovery.

ECOLOGICAL PANELS A SUSTAINABILITY HUB AT THE MONACO YACHT SHOW

Forthe second time the Monaco Yacht Show (September 27-30) will include a Sustainability Hub that provides a showcase for companies specialising in sustainable technology developed to lessen the adverse environmental impact of superyachts. It is to be hosted in the 200m² Darse Sud marine equipment and technology exhibition space, and its purpose is to act as an incubator for cutting-edge, eco-friendly solutions. This provides visibility for companies offering proven sustainable solutions and start-ups seeking to make a mark in the yacht-building sector with their innovative ideas. The companies taking part in the Sustainability Hub are selected in collaboration with the Water Revolution Foundation. This ensures that only companies offering real, workable solutions are included in the exhibition. The Sustainability Hub will be organized with the collaboration of Siemens Energy, which has for over 130 years has offered cutting-edge electrical products, systems, and services in the nautical sector. The Hub will enable the Monaco Yacht Show to strengthen its commitment to supporting a responsible, ecologically-aware approach throughout the yacht industry.