There are, arguably, still steps to be taken by our industry in order for us to promote sustainability with confidence, but in six weeks’ time, both The Superyacht Forum and METSTRADE will provide the perfect platforms for innovation and thought-sharing on this topic, as members of the marine industry from around the globe gather in Amsterdam, for a week of discourse and action.

Taking into consideration every aspect of the event where it may be possible to reduce our carbon footprint, The Superyacht Group started by asking partners of The Superyacht Forum to reconsider the usual delegate bags, providing them with sustainable options to sponsor. This led to deeper discussions about the quantity of print collateral found at events, and has since resulted in an agreement to make all of this year’s collateral digital, and more easily available to delegates, in the form of a USB stick. We are also reviewing our menu choices, in an attempt to ensure our catering is sustainably sourced, and will be providing re-fillable water stations throughout the event.

According to the METSTRADE website, the industry’s leading annual trade exhibition of marine equipment, materials and systems has seen a big increase in sustainable initiatives over the last couple of years. ‘Products and building methods become greener, materials are being recycled into new composites and some newly-made materials are either biodegradable or reusable,’ states METSTRADE, which has also reported seeing more and more exhibitors step into the world of electric propulsion and energy-saving supplies.

RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre has hosted METSTRADE since the first edition in 1988, and every year, maps out new ways to provide an exhibition environment which is as green as possible.

From a practical perspective, the show will be illuminated by 7,000 LEDs and other energy-efficient light sources, and for the first time, attendees of METSTRADE will be walking upon 35km of carpet entirely made from recycled materials – set to be reused year-on-year. Similarly to The Superyacht Forum, METSTRADE has also digitised as much of its collateral material as possible, and has eliminated the necessity of a plastic cover surrounding delegate badges.

Since 2015, METSTRADE has organised sustainability forums during the show in cooperation with ICOMIA, while The Superyacht Forum has ensured many of the sessions within the programme continue to drive the agenda for an increasingly eco-conscious audience. This year, sessions such as ‘The Future of Planet Superyacht’, and ‘Reduce, Reuse, Rethink’, will shine an un-avoidable spotlight on our industry’s current and future carbon footprint.

The METSTRADE Show also houses the E-nnovationLAB, showcasing the growing array of products concerning both electric and hybrid marine propulsion technology, while the I-nnovationLAB offers an open stage for debate and discussion. It also showcases the products that have been nominated for the DAME DESIGN Award, which increasingly focus on sustainability.

We now encourage the industry to utilise these platforms and share their thoughts with fellow delegates about how to futureproof superyachting...

We now encourage the industry to utilise these platforms and share their thoughts with fellow delegates about how to futureproof superyachting, while building for the next generation, and taking inspiration from areas where our peer industries have overtaken us. Remaining tickets to The Superyacht Forum in association with METSTRADE are available here.

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The Superyacht Forum

METSTRADE

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