We are proud to announce that Water Revolution Foundation has been recognised as an “Ocean Titan.” The Ocean Titans is a docu-series showcasing ocean initiatives within the business community by the World Ocean Council, a cross-sectoral ocean industry leadership alliance committed to “Corporate Ocean Responsibility.”
Given that the mission of our foundation is to drive sustainability in the superyacht industry through collaboration and innovation, leading the way towards neutralising its ecological footprint and preserving the world’s precious oceans, the episode sheds light on both the challenges and efforts that the yachting sector is undertaking in order to progress. By working together with scientists and utilising our strategic position, we can go above and beyond to become a more sustainable sector and lead by example towards a regenerative business model, shifting the perception of yachting to one that recognises the industry as true ocean stewards.
The film’s release comes at a poignant moment after the 2023 IMO Greenhouse Gas Strategy, aiming to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050, was unanimously adopted by all member states on 7 July. It is clear more than ever that a united, regenerative approach is the way forward for the yachting industry to lead the way as true Ocean Titans.
Check out the film below & read the accompanying article published on Reuters here.
On this World Ocean Day, as we come together to honour and protect our precious marine ecosystems, it is paramount that the superyacht sector stand united in support of its biggest stakeholder and take collective action in the form of structural, industry-wide commitment.
To translate this commitment into tangible action and results, we are proud to announce Water Revolution Foundation’s newest programme: Ocean Assist. Ocean Assist will provide a return on superyachting’s landmark investment in ocean conservation, prioritising projects and adopting scientific tools that are urgently needed to safeguard the oceans. This will enable the sector to maximise financial (and non-financial) resources and embrace nature-based solutions. “It must be clear that yachting’s promising efforts to reduce its environmental footprint are only half of the challenges faced to future-proof the industry,” says Robert van Tol, Executive Director. “The other half is protecting the healthy ocean for which our sector directly relies on – we can no longer take its pristine conditions for granted to provide the lifestyle that superyachting sells. The Ocean Assist programme aims to structurally reinvest in the ocean through scientific guidance and support by an entire maritime sector, resulting in a community of true stewards of the sea.”
The Ocean Assist investment fund coming soon to the industry
Through the Ocean Assist Fund, appropriate criteria will be used by an independent scientific advisory board to select marine conservation and restoration projects to allocate funds from the yachting community. This fund is unique for being the only marine conservation initiative aimed to be structurally supported by an entire maritime industry, not a single organisation or small coalition of like-minded companies.
Ocean Assist will raise awareness and commitment across the yachting community, transform financial support for ocean conservation into a business proposition and investment for the well-being of the planet, and spearhead a new age of regenerative development to conserve and revive our marine ecosystems. “This programme represents a vital step towards a regenerative future for our oceans. By investing in blue carbon ecosystems, we can restore ocean health and create a legacy of environmental custodianship for generations to come,” shares our vice-chair and initiator, Dr. Vienna Eleuteri.
Ocean Strategy for Yachting
The significance of implementing such a programme was underscored last month in Hamburg, where top industry leaders and esteemed ocean scientists came together for a strategic discussion on the way forward for yachting and science to join forces – the outcome being a mandate from the industry pledging to prioritise sector-wide, coordinated reinvestment in the oceans, alongside mitigation. The strategic session took place alongside a workshop attended by leading ocean conservation scientists, who spent the week nominating 43 new regions for protection in the North-East Atlantic as part of the Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMA) programme. As Ocean Assist’s first initiative, IMMA’s North-East Atlantic project is entirely funded by the yachting community and a valuable demonstration of what future projects might entail.
A coordinated approach
It is due time that collective action is taken – the entire yachting community must gear up for structural commitment both in terms of support and adoption of results, moving beyond charity or philanthropy in favour of an industry-wide effort to secure our common future.
We are delighted to welcome Alexey Shifman, Programme Director, to the Water Revolution team.
As a naval architect with over 13 years of experience and a Master’s degree specialized in cruise liner design, fluid mechanics, and structural optimization, Alexey is driven by a passion for creativity. Alongside his naval architecture background, he also served as CEO of a 3D printing start-up, spearheading the company’s innovation efforts and discovering new ways to advance this emerging technology. Alexey believes in the power of creativity to create a sustainable future for the superyacht industry and is committed to finding cutting-edge solutions to the sector’s challenges.
It is a pleasure to have Jaime Barros, Junior Marine Engineer, join the Water Revolution team.
From sunny Lisbon, Jaime grew up sailing and has ever since nurtured a deep love and respect for the ocean. He moved to the Netherlands at a young age with the motivation to pursue a bachelor’s and master’s program in Marine Engineering at the Delft University of Technology. His Master’s thesis, titled “Modeling the Electric Power Consumption of a Yacht,” was written in cooperation with Water Revolution Foundation and has been instrumental in the development of the Yacht Environmental Transparency Index (YETI). Recently graduated, Jaime feels compelled to leave his contribution for a better tomorrow for future generations to come and wants to ensure his skills and knowledge are put to good use. On a personal level, he’s passionate about wild camping, photography, and weird science facts.
Happy to have you onboard, Jaime! Welcome to the Revolution.
We are thrilled to have Gigi Migliazzo joining the Water Revolution team as a Marketing Executive.
With a Bachelor’s degree in International Communications & Media, Gigi is passionate about global marketing, content creation, and sustainability. Her prior experiences include managing the brands for a plant-based food distributor based in the Benelux region and building sustainable business ventures to combat ocean pollution in Indonesia. Having grown up between Melbourne, Australia, and California, USA, she has always had a love for the ocean and is dedicated to promoting its conservation and restoration.
Welcome aboard, Gigi! We look forward to the journey ahead in making the superyacht industry sustainable together.
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