by Laurie Foulon | 12 Feb 2025 | News
On 15 January 2025, F/YACHTING and Water Revolution Foundation co-hosted a unique workshop in Austria for superyacht designers, project managers, and shipyard representatives: The Future of Sustainable Design.
Did you know that 80% of environmental impact is determined after 20% of the design process is complete?
This full-day programme, part of a 4-part series, enabled deep and honest conversations to define new collaborations to address and anticipate the evolving design needs in the industry:
🔹future-proofing design: choosing better materials with an LCA perspective,
🔹measuring the responsibility of our environmental impact as an industry,
🔹defining new concepts around sustainable luxury and how we design
🔹going “Beyond Teak”.
Participants, present from around Europe, were also taken for an exclusive tour of the impressive F/LIST facilities, a third-generation family business with strong craftmanship values, and with a dedication to sustainability through its impressive F/LAB enabled the group to touch and feel the materials of tomorrow: from cornflour leather to crushed stone floors or apricot-kernel-meets-cork flooring options, the ‘wow’ effect was absolutely achieved. Divided in breakout groups, the attendees were then able to brainstorm the future of luxury, how sustainability can be approached as the new trendy choice for yachting, best ways to get to know and approach the design choices of tomorrow’s customers, but also an entire session dedicated to the future of teak.
In this intimate setting, Water Revolution Foundation indeed launched the new chapter of the Designers’ Protocol: Alternative Decking Solutions, co-written by our Environmental Expert Awwal Idris and Teakdecking Systems, Inc.
The Protocol breathes the collective intent of the yacht design community to put sustainability conversations at the heart of their relationships with clients.
You can read more about and download the Protocol here: https://waterrevolutionfoundation.org/guidelines/designers-protocol/
Stay tuned for the next dates
This workshop was #1 of a 4-part series.
Are you interested to join the next one?
Reach out to our team info@waterrevolutionfoundation.org.
by Water Revolution Foundation | 10 Dec 2024 | News
Delivering more environmentally-conscious alternatives across the superyacht industry, Via Maris Njørdal by Speira, Reflow Marine by Reflow Marine, and Slimline 5 by Octo Marine are the most recent additions to our Hub of Verified Solutions.
Each solution has been evaluated through an in-depth Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) conducted by independent research institutions, comparing their environmental impact against standard industry products to ensure measurable improvements across multiple categories.
Via Maris Njørdal
Speira’s Via Maris Njørdal plates deliver a high-performance alternative to traditional aluminium. With superior strength, bending properties, and weldability, these plates incorporate a significant amount of recycled material, resulting in a reduced carbon footprint. The conducted LCA reveals environmental improvements of up to 15%, underscoring its potential to lower environmental impacts in the yachting industry.
Reflow Marine
Reflow Marine offers an innovative approach to extending the lifespan of pipe systems by restoring aged or corroded components. This process reduces environmental impacts up to 83.75% across various categories. An 82.10% overall reduction in the Ecopoint category – accounting for human, ecosystem, and resource depletion impacts – highlights the robustness of this solution.Sensitivity analysis confirm the robustness of these results, even with increase in energy consumption and raw material impacts.
Slimline 5
Octo Marine’s Slimline 5 system provides an efficient onboard alternative to bottled water. Producing high-quality drinking water directly from the tap, it eliminates plastic waste while saving valuable storage space. The LCA results show reductions in environmental impact ranging from 56% to 99.9%. Overall, this system achieves a 99.6% decrease in total potential impacts, making it a suitable choice for reducing pollution and resource consumption.
Suppliers take action
The addition of these solutions to the Hub underscores the importance of verified innovations in advancing environmental sustainability. Suppliers are invited to join the movement by undergoing the LCA process, showcasing the credibility of their products, and benefiting from enhanced industry recognition.
Discover more about the verification process and how to get started by visiting our dedicated webpage!
Frequently Asked Questions
by Water Revolution Foundation | 29 Nov 2024 | News
As we celebrate our 6th anniversary, it also means that the founding board members have reached their maximum of two consecutive three-year terms serving on the foundation’s board.
This limit, which they themselves introduced, reflects a commitment to strong governance and the frequent renewal of this crucial leadership group. We recognise that transitioning five of the seven board members simultaneously presents a risk of instability, therefore have carefully designed a scheme for gradual succession of its founding members.
Gradual Succession Scheme
The table below provides a transparent overview of the planned transitions for the founding board members:
| Founder | Successor | Date of Transition (every 4 months) |
| Louis van Beurden | Martijn Munniksma | 1 Dec 2024 |
| Philippe Briand | Aino-Leena Grapin | 1 Mar 2025 |
| Henk de Vries III | TBD | 1 Jul 2025 |
| Martin Redmayne | TBD | 1 Nov 2025 |
Note that the fifth founder and initiator of the Foundation, Dr. Vienna Eleuteri, has been granted an exemption from the maximum board term. However, her position and mandate to represent the foundation in the international and scientific community is being reviewed and reconfirmed every three years, aligning with the standard three-year board term. The two remaining board members, Peter Lürssen and Carolina Corral, will reach the moment of succession respectively in February 2026 and January 2028.
This phased approach aims to preserve the stability of the Foundation and ensure a seamless handover of responsibilities. Updates on the appointment of new board members will be shared as they occur. Water Revolution Foundation remains committed to its mission of driving environmental sustainability in the yachting industry, supported by a strong and evolving leadership team.
With kind regards,
Water Revolution Foundation Board members
by Water Revolution Foundation | 8 Nov 2024 | News
The second webinar on the Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMA) programme, hosted by Switzerland for the Oceans, will take place on Tuesday, 26 November, 17:00 – 18:00 CET and dive deeper into critical mechanisms for ecological renewal and ocean conservation.
Recap Session 1
In the first session, we explored the IMMA programme and its current focus on the North West Atlantic Ocean, where an international team of scientists is collecting crucial marine data from the northern East Coast of the United States to the Caribbean Sea. Speakers from Water Revolution Foundation and the Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force of the IUCN shared how this ocean data is essential for protecting marine life and enhancing the communities, including the yachting sector, that rely on healthy oceans.
Webinar Highlights
During this webinar, Dr. Vienna Eleuteri, Vice-Chair & Co-Founder of Water Revolution Foundation, will present innovative frameworks including the Doughnut Economy and 3-R Model (Reduce, Remove, Repair) to illustrate how ocean conservation can be supported through positive impact calculation and quantification. Attendees will be among the first to learn about a transformative investment strategy that combines Verified Emission Reductions (VERs) with Regenerative Contribution Units (RCUs) to drive impactful restoration projects and foster resilient marine ecosystems, using the IMMA programme as an example. To conclude the session, Robert van Tol, Executive Director of the Water Revolution Foundation, will share his insights, highlighting how the ocean serves the entire blue economy.
We invite you to join us for what promises to be an engaging conversation on these vital approaches to ocean health and preservation.
Register now.
Help Shape the Future of our Oceans
Supporting this programme will help to repair damaged ecosystems, allow marine mammals to thrive, accelerate the removal of carbon from the atmosphere, and provide essential insights for governments and regulatory bodies to implement effective marine conservation strategies. Reinvest in IMMA to directly invest in the health of yachting’s most critical stakeholder.
by Water Revolution Foundation | 7 Nov 2024 | News
Environmental yacht design, build, and refit requires an actionable, accessible tool to drive concrete industry progress. YETI is the key to integrating future-proof practices into every phase of a yacht’s development…
The final episode of the Yacht Environmental Transparency Index (YETI) Webinar Series takes place on Wednesday, 27 November, 15:00 – 15:45 CET, just one week after the official launch of the YETI software at METSTRADE. The timing couldn’t be better to dive into the technicalities of the tool and gain a first, inside look at how it can help transform the environmental performance of the global yachting fleet.
YETI Webinar Series
In this series, we share the background, scientific approach, and real-world application of the YETI method. Episodes 1-4 explored the core methodology, environmental basis, and approach for calculating scores.
Final Episode
This session will include a live demo of the new YETI software, covering key features of YETI Lite and YETI Pro, and showing how both tools can empower you to make practical, impactful improvements on new builds and refits. This is a must-attend event for all industry stakeholders – including shipyards, naval architects, design and engineering firms, brokers, classification societies, sales and charter teams, client representatives, and refit facilities. Join us to discover actionable ways to identify improvement opportunities, develop a standardized refit upgrade package, and enhance decision-making for new build projects.
Cost
This session is priced at €25, with proceeds directed towards ongoing YETI project developments (e.g. software creation). Foundation partners may attend free of cost.
Please RSVP here as soon as possible to secure your spot, as seats are limited. Don’t miss this chance to lead in setting new industry standards for environmental performance.
Learn more about YETI.
by Water Revolution Foundation | 5 Nov 2024 | News
With the show season well underway, we are thrilled to return to The Superyacht Forum & METSTRADE as a strategic partner for the third consecutive year. Our programme this year is nothing short of spectacular, so we hope to have you join us for this Revolutionary event.
The Superyacht Forum
The week will kick off with a pre-launch of the Yacht Environmental Transparency Index (YETI) software on Monday, 18 November, 11:45 – 13:00: Pioneering a New Era of Environmental Accountability in Yachting. This session, moderated by our Technical Director Hanna Dąbrowska, will introduce this groundbreaking solution to assess and compare yachts’ environmental performance, featuring insights from Edmund Beckett of Burgess Yachts, Matteo Magherini of RINA, Dr. Vienna Eleuteri of Water Revolution Foundation, and Enrico Della Valentina from the Maritime Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN).
On Tuesday, 19 November, 10:00 to 11:15, a keynote panel will explore the path to a future-proof superyacht sector by 2050. Moderated by Martin Redmayne of The Superyacht Group, this discussion — titled Charting a Course for a Sustainable Future: The 2050 Superyacht Roadmap — brings together industry leaders Roderick De Vries (Koninklijke De Vries Scheepsbouw), Aino Grapin (Winch Design), Anders Kurtén (Fraser Yachts), and our vice-chair and initiator, Dr. Vienna Eleuteri. They’ll discuss the essential 3-R model: Reduce, Remove, and Repair, focused on minimizing environmental impact, adopting cleaner technologies, and actively restoring marine ecosystems.
Official YETI Software Launch
In an exciting milestone, the YETI software will be officially launched on Wednesday, November 20, 14:00 – 14:30, at the METSTRADE Theatre (13.205). Presented by our Executive Director, Robert van Tol, and Technical Director, Hanna Dąbrowska, this transformative tool sets a new benchmark for assessing the environmental performance of superyachts, incorporating comprehensive parameters to guide optimization in both new builds and upgrades for refit.
Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a pivotal development for a future-proof yachting sector – join us on Wednesday, November 20, 14:00 – 14:30 in the METSTRADE Theatre (13.205). Register now.
Superyacht Sustainability Route
Exhibitors who have passed a third-party Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with a verified entry in our Hub of Verified Solutions will be featured on the second edition of the Superyacht Sustainability Route. Make sure to pay them a visit: AwlgripHDT by Akzo Nobel (01.271), Eco marinA by Marinetek (05.701), Explore E8 & E9 by OceanLED (10.705), Fendaskin by Defenda (11.610), Hempaguard X7 by Hempel (02.423), Hull Vane by Hull Vane B.V. (10.409), Magellan 630 Extra & Giraglia 633 Extra by Boero (11.603), Marine Inverter Air Conditioning by Termodinamica (11.721), & Permanent Washable Air Filters by Fundamental Marine Developments (11.612).
As the starting point of the Route, you can find a member of our team at stand 13.104 in the Elicium building from 10:00 – 11:30 & 15:00 – 16:30 each day throughout the show! And if you can’t manage to find it, just follow the footsteps…
Partner Events
We are also hosting two events exclusive to partners of the Foundation. The Matchmaking Event allows verified solutions to connect with top shipyards and designers. Meanwhile, the Environmental Shipyard Roundtable will bring stakeholders together to align on goals for a more regenerative yachting sector by 2050, defining timelines and commitments for environmental improvement. If you’re a partner solution, shipyard, or design company and haven’t received details, please reach out to gigi@waterrevolutionfoundation.org.
We look forward to seeing you at The Superyacht Forum and METSTRADE! For questions or more information, don’t hesitate to contact us.
