The first version of the highly-anticipated Yacht Environmental Transparency Index was launched at this year’s METSTRADE and shared with key members of the industry. The tool, which scores and compares yachts based on their environmental credentials, emphasises the operational efficiency of a yacht’s lifecycle and tackles ecological impact by benchmarking vessels against an average operational profile. With unrivalled experience and accumulated brain power, the YETI group came together to give valuable insights about the tool that enables the superyacht industry to make more informed decisions for new builds and refit projects.
YETI 1.0
The launch unveiled the details of YETI 1.0 and its focus on the most impactful part of a yacht’s lifecycle – its operational phase. By expressing the calculated emissions in EcoPoints and dividing such points with the yacht’s gross tonnage, YETI 1.0 determines a score that is relative and comparable within its class. Following regulations and engineering practices, the defined classes are <500, 500-3000GT, and >3000GT. Rather than looking at the entire spectrum, this comparison provides a targeted and informed approach to reduce EcoPoints within each size group, define the best in class, and learn from their optimisation.
To use YETI 1.0, data concerning a vessel’s general parameters, speed-power, load determination, generators, battery bank, and heat distribution system must be submitted on the input sheet. When joining the fleet review, yachts are provided with an extensive feedback report that includes a YETI 1.0 score, explanation of how this score was determined, comparison to the rest of the assessed fleet within a given class, and suggestions for potential areas of improvement.
The importance of YETI 1.0 for the yachting industry
By taking a yacht’s unique operational profile as a benchmark, YETI 1.0 provides scores comparing a single vessel to the rest of the fleet rather than applying the generic approach for commercial ships. YETI scores are calculated based on energy use for propulsion, including expected fuel, shore power consumption, and related emissions. Numerous studies have been conducted as part of the project, including the upstream impacts of fuels, engines and generators, and the average footprint of shore power in the most popular yacht marinas.
YETI 1.0 is paving the way toward a sustainable future in the yachting industry. This robust tool will guide members of the sector, from design and yacht management to new build and refit, in reaching a reduced ecological footprint through the development of better concept designs and concrete upgrades of existing yachts. The tool has also already received interest from marinas, insurance companies and banks who are eager to find a reliable reference for understanding yachts’ environmental credentials.
Industry collaboration
Industry collaboration is essential for reducing the superyacht sector’s environmental impact, and YETI is a commendable example of the most renowned shipyards, naval architects, and research institutes joining forces to accelerate sustainable change in a transparent and reliable manner. The group, who represent an unrivalled fleet of superyachts with a shared motivation to understand and improve their ecological implications, have reached a new level of industry collaboration by setting competition aside to collaborate on this initiative.
Companies that can support the group with expertise and data are encouraged to take part in this unique collaboration for the upcoming quest to develop YETI 2.0 and expand the tool’s scope beyond operational efficiency. In joining this project, participants will meet regularly to provide insights for YETI’s future progress. This presents an opportunity for captains, engineers, shipyards, naval architects and management companies to complement the group and be involved in the yachting sector’s journey toward sustainability.
How to get involved
You can now submit data for your yacht(s) in order to calculate its YETI score, which will come with a detailed feedback report providing a comparison with the rest of the fleet. “The groundwork has been done, it is now time for the industry and owners to utilise this reliable reference to know where a yacht stands and what opportunities there are to improve its environmental credentials,” said Robert van Tol, executive director of Water Revolution.
Workshops will also be organised for members of the industry to attend a live YETI score calculation in order to better understand the required input, assessment process, and outcomes generated as a single score. This session will reveal how choices are rewarded and showcase how YETI is here to help instead of judge. YETI is far from a black box – the ‘T’ stands for transparency, as only then can we as an industry learn and show progress.
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