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Monaco Smart Yacht Rendezvous 2023

The first Monaco Smart Yacht Rendezvous was held at The Yacht Club de Monaco. The event aims to promote sustainable and innovative solutions for superyachts. It helps start-ups and large companies meet to present their solutions and ideas. Prince Albert II of Monaco's visit opened the two-day meeting, where he met the various participants of the event and became acquainted with the ideas and projects presented at the stands.

Sanlorenzo, Feadship, Oceanco, Lürssen were amongst the major companies taking part in the rendezvous, as were internationally renowned designers such as Dan Lenard and Espen Oeino.

Among the topics covered at the event was the entire life cycle of a yacht: from research and design to its use, maintenance and financing. Other topics discussed were new propulsion solutions and the choice of greener materials, energy optimization, water management, communications and safety.

“The yacht today can be smart in itself, it can be implemented with technologies that guarantee low or zero emissions, or made of recycled or recyclable materials. All of this is part of the future of yachting. However, it must be remembered that yachting does not end with the product. There is a whole life after the delivery of the yacht and a little is said about it. Just as little is said about the 'education' in the use of these boats and the possibilities they offer as an alternative and transversal use,” said Dan Lenard.

Monaco Smart Yacht Rendezvous also gave the opportunity to award participants who distinguished themselves with innovative solutions. The winners were chosen by an international jury of 44 people who reviewed the proposals of 50 startups, large-scale companies and corporations.

In the Startup category, Italian company Northern Light Composites (Nlcomp) won for its recyclable R-Composite, which solves the problems associated with the end of life of fiberglass. “R-composite is the ideal candidate to replace fiberglass composite which is not easily recyclable, causing boat (and wind turbine) blades to go underground. With R-composite we are creating a completely circular economy,” observed Fabio Bignolini, CEO of Northern Light Composites.

Among the major companies, the British Lineat Composites was awarded for its plan to convert waste carbon fiber into recycled carbon fiber for use in products in the marine as well as automotive sector.

In the corporate category, the award went to the French Wisamo - an innovation from MICHELIN - which is an inflatable, fully retractable and automated sail that can be installed on any cargo and yachting vessel. The wing sail uses the driving power of the wind, a free, versatile and inexhaustible energy to easily navigate in different directions, reducing fuel consumption and improving the environment.