Abeking & Rasmussen
Coming soon.
Akzonobel
Role
Coatings manufacturer
Status
Anchor partner
Country
Netherlands
Website
Coming soon.
Why AkzoNobel supports Water Revolution
“When AkzoNobel came in touch with Water Revolution Foundation the word ‘sustainability’ came to the table within minutes. I personally remember an intense conversation during the Monaco Yacht Show 2019 that right away built up interest for a constructive partnership.
Being a leading producer of coatings for the yachting industry with well-known brands such as International and Awlgrip, we feel a high degree of responsibility towards the superyacht and boating market. We also bring rich experiences in other industries like automotive and aerospace, as well as technologies ranging from sustainable coatings like powder to high-end automated application processes. Finally, the scope of sustainability is not only the paint in the can but it also includes what the paint can do for processes and systems both in new build and refit yards.
We are therefore extremely enthusiastic to become partner of Water Revolution. This is a great platform to have meaningful discussions with a common objective; making positive progress on sustainability in this industry.
The future is exciting and we are proud of being part of it.”
— Bilal Salahuddin, Business Director AkzoNobel Yacht Coatings
Benetti
Established in 1873, Benetti is Italy’s oldest shipyard specialized in luxury yachts and an icon of timeless style and construction excellence. Each yacht is unique, created according to the desires of the Owner, with the quality, expertise and reliability of a shipyard that has built about 400 vessels which ‘sail the seven seas’ today in absolute safety. Benetti designs, builds and markets composite, steel and aluminium yachts from 29 to 45 meters in length, and steel and aluminium yachts from 45 to over 100 meters in length. In production facilities covering a total of 240,000 square meters, the best marine technology is put to work to build a product offering designed to satisfy all market needs. Benetti is part of Azimut|Benetti Group, the world’s largest privately-owned yacht builder and a guarantee of continuity and financial stability. Founder and majority shareholder Paolo Vitelli has been firmly at the helm for the last 50 years.
Darsena Italia is Benetti’s storied headquarters in Viareggio, in the Italian region of Tuscany, where the shipyard can build four yachts concurrently in a production site that also contains warehouses, offices, services, a technical area and even a heliport. Also, in Viareggio is Darsena Luca, the area opened in 2011 that also includes warehouses and offices, where 3 yachts up to 50 meters in length can be built in parallel. Benetti also uses the Comparini Area for final preparations on several Class models. The construction of bigger yachts takes place in Livorno, where 12 mega yachts can be built at the same time. The 215,000 square meter production site has an ENAC-certified heliport (ENAC is the Italian civil aviation authority) and an area devoted exclusively to servicing and refitting work, equipped with a 2,400 ton ship-lift and a 300 t travel-lift.
Nowadays, climate change is the greatest challenge. Driven by this awareness, Benetti works to help employ technology that strives for ecofriendliness, and also to improve the quality and the comfort of the cruising experience. The hybrid propulsion system conceived for the FB272 Giga yacht, with diesel-electric engines and two Azipods propulsion units connected to a particular battery pack, has been designed for a silent and vibration-free routing with a responsible approach to energy choices, because it leads to a successful decrease of the consumption during the whole life cycle of the yacht.
Damen Yachting
Owners of Amels and Damen Yachting yachts are among luxury yachting’s most engaged visionaries in ocean sustainability. While enjoying beautiful coastlines and islands, they are driving growing awareness of ocean health and coastal communities. Many of their crews are also contributing to the Dutch yacht builder’s #Loveouroceans campaign, which recognizes positive efforts and innovations to improve sustainable luxury yachting.
From its head office in the south of the Netherlands, Amels and Damen Yachting builds and outfits superyachts at its Dutch and other European yards. Damen Yachting is the yacht building division of the Damen Shipyards Group, the world’s leading specialist shipbuilder with 12,000 employees and 35 shipyards around the globe. As well as the master yacht builder behind more than 100 Amels superyachts, SeaXplorer expedition yachts, Yacht Support vessels and major yacht refits, Damen builds everything from navy ships to tug boats. Rose Damen, a third generation family shareholder, is Managing Director of the Yachting division.
The Damen family is committed to empowering their clients to achieve their sustainability goals through fundamental innovation at Damen’s inhouse Research Laboratory. Damen has unparalleled experience with ocean research equipment, ocean-going yachts that increase safety at sea while reducing the impact on the environment, and emission reducing innovation. In 2018, the yard delivered the world’s first yacht with Tier III emissions standards – the result of a 3-year project together with its subcontractor partners.
Why Damen Yachting supports Water Revolution
“It’s inspiring to see the energy that our clients bring to creating healthier oceans and coastal communities through their philanthropy and advocacy. But it’s also increasingly hands on. We see owners and their families starting to make ocean research and discovery part of their yachting experience. That’s where we as yacht builders can help – with our luxury yachts or expedition vessels.
The Damen group has a lot of knowhow, from polar research ships, survey vessels and such. Commercial shipbuilding is also quite a bit ahead of yachting when it comes to technical innovations, fully electric Damen ferries and work boats for example. We’re lucky that we can share that expertise with our clients.”
— Rose Damen, Managing Director
Feadship
Feadship fundamentally believes that the future has to be different. Traditional luxury standards such as quality, craftsmanship and rarity with a price premium, while important, are just part of the package.
Now, clients want to see corporate social responsibility and sustainability as part of a shipyard’s overall brand. Feadship, alongside developing shipbuilding technology, has spent considerable sums on their own facilities so that the environmental footprint of both yacht and shipyard are considered as one. There is a fine line as to whether a shipyard should develop future technology or a client should challenge them to do so. Feadship has made a commitment that the industry needs to match: to deliver emission-free yachts by 2025 and an emission-free construction process by 2030.
Part of this is building yachts capable of using alternative fuels – even a combination of fuels. Hydrogen and diesel is a possibility. Tier III regulations have made the industry progress with cleaner fuels, including bio-diesel that is not even a fossil fuel. Availability is one issue to be overcome, but as strategic industry we can drive this development. SCR is an acronym for technology that almost reduces NOx exhaust toxins to zero. The only issue has been the need for a large tank to hold the neutralising liquid. Feadship has developed Oxywash© to solve all of these problems.
Clients, designers and shipyards have to work together to refocus the concept of the private yacht. For example, to integrate electric, hydrogen, synthetic, solar and wind. Enlightened clients drive progress.
Why Feadship supports Water Revolution
“Sustainability is a focal point within Feadship, integrated within the yards, the design process, the final product and our own behaviour. We feel responsible for keeping the oceans clean as experience of sailing on a superyacht goes hand in hand with preserving nature and water quality. Sustainability extends far beyond our own organisation. Feadship is one of the founders of Water Revolution Foundation, a frontrunner in encouraging all parties involved in the construction and use of large yachts to take responsibility for their impact on the environment. This collective aims to develop a global superyacht agenda for sustainability that shares best practices from the industry and stays ahead of legislation by combining innovative strength and coordinating collective efforts.”