Last month the SEA Index (Superyacht Eco Association by Yacht Club de Monaco) and RINA announced they have been working together towards a new CO₂ operational efficiency assessment methodology. It is now operational, and in the process of being made automatic and available online. This RINA methodology is a complementary segment to the existing SEA Index and evaluates the direct emissions of yachts over 25 metres and 400gt, based on the choice of fuel. 

The SEA Index CO₂ tool calculates the carbon emissions of yachts over 25 metres, drawn from builder and AIS data (842 yachts), incorporating a typical operational profile and based on a reference line for displacement yachts. The methodology has been based on IMO Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) which have been adapted to superyachts in collaboration with Lloyd’s Register, which delivers independent CO₂ certification on SEA Index’s behalf. An Options for Improvement document is also provided and the yachts are given a 1 to 5-star rating with CO₂ impact expressed in grams of CO₂ emitted per gross ton per hour (gr. CO2/Gt.hr )

This latest development of the tool a well-to-wake methodology will be used for the fuel chosen to calculate emissions intensity throughout the fuel’s life cycle. This will include biofuels such as HVO, even if they are blended with conventional fuels. The Index considers the same principles of the greenhouse gas (GHG) strategies adopted by the International Maritime Organization and the European Union.

The aim of the SEA Index is to provide yacht owners with proactive measures to make informed decisions when buying, selling or chartering a vessel. The SEA Index’s mission is to promote transparency within the sector and support a more sustainable yachting future. This new methodology will further contribute to our ability to understand, measure and compare the impact of superyachts, and once we understand better we can work to improve the impact.

Having an informed client base will also lead to a rise in expectations, in this case in the efficiency performance and its associated environmental impact, and so lead to better performances as this becomes more desirable.

RINA marine technical director, south-west Europe region Giuseppe Zagaria comments: “We are very satisfied collaborating with Sea Index and we appreciate their activities toward a greener yachting. We have a very long history of cooperation with the whole yachting cluster in Monaco to which we would like to affirm the RINA experience for environmental protection. We compliment the commitment of Mr Bernard D’Alessandri and Natalie Quevert expanding the Sea Index initiatives towards the yachting operational efficiency aspect, a key pillar of any decarbonisation strategy.”

SEA Index project manager Natalie Quévert further comments: “Collaborating with RINA is enabling the Superyacht Eco Association to expand the scope of available tools for owners, captains and other stakeholders allowing them to assess impact depending on their choice of yacht fuel. The well-to- wake approach ensures the method is future proof and we commend RINA and Giuseppe Zagaria for this valuable contribution to the SEA Index under the aegis of the ‘Monaco Capital of Advanced Yachting’ collective approach initiated by the Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM).”

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