Yacht charter and climate change – 5 key elements

May 26, 2022

4 minute read

With climate change surely approaching, we can be certain that during our lifetime, there will be drastic changes in the oceans and the way we perceive and use them. This also means that yacht utilisation will change, with new paradigms regarding the eco-friendliness of sea vessels. Taking into account variables that are not regularly discussed, let us examine the possible impact that climate change will have on the yachting industry.

Photo credit to @paddle.and.explore

Yacht charter and climate change

The slow melting of the ice caps will provide a totally new playground for yacht charters, specially designed for extreme explorations. These explorer yachts are built for a harsher climate, boasting a different hull, superstructure, appearance and design than regular yachts. A yacht charter and climate change will come together in a whole new sea,  born from melted ice. This never-before uncovered part of the globe will provide valuable insight into the distant past of the planet, particularly for exploration vehicles, equipped with scientific gear, like labs, sonars, radars and other up-to-date technologies. Ocean currents will also be affected, which means that we will start to see species not regularly at home in other parts of the world. This means enjoying specimens of marine life in fantastic surroundings: dolphins in the Baltic, seals in the Caribbean.

Icebergs in blue waters
Climate change will surely impact the superyacht industry -Photo credit to @leonarockwoodphotography

The major change in the ocean will force new technologies on the yacht market, which means new and improved yacht models: maybe an all-solar motor yacht, or a superyacht powered by hydrogen. Yachts will also start to have more and more impact on the environment, because of the possible utilisation of superyachts, like becoming viable scientific research stations. Because of that, here are 5 key elements that will surely impact yacht charter and climate change

Explorer yachts
Explorer ships date back to the golden age of exploration and the discovery of the New World. However, leisure explorer yachts are an entirely different concept, melding together the feeling of being the first human to experience a certain location with the unavoidable style and luxury of a superyacht. Explorer yachts of the 21. century also serves scientific purposes. They collect data, either with the help of their advanced machinery, gadgets and technology or by hosting small mobile laboratories and analyzing the data on-site. The world of increased sea levels will bring with it the need for more explorer yachts, who will act as a scientific tool for dealing with eventual problems the yachting community would encounter. These yachts have a recognisable hull and superstructure,  instantly perceivable on the water. Having let go with leisure and relaxation as a primary feature, explorer yachts rely heavily on added technologies, durability, reliability and robustness.

Explorer yacht in the artic
Explorer yachts are the way of the future for luxury vessels – Photo credit to @hydro_tec

Hotter ocean

The increase in ocean temperature will undoubtedly cause major shifts in ocean currents, which will bring with them their climatological attributes. If any major ocean current shifts, it will cause a rippling effect, primarily visible in mass marine animal migration and extinction. This could also possibly result in forming new yachting heaves and the disappearance of old ones. Some animal and plant species will undoubtedly perish, while others will thrive.

A dolphin and a diver in a hug
Marine life will have to adapt the swift changes in the world`s oceans – Photo credit to @ocean_footage

Plastic

Plastic pollution will mean that a big portion of marine life will migrate towards areas that are less polluted; the cleanest seas will also be the ones with the most life. We could see species not native in local waters competing for teritory or see less marine life in general. It is hard to predict how plastic pollution will affect the oceans in the long run. Since a human lifespan is several times shorter than the half-life of plastic, we are stuck seeing things only in the foreseeable future and can not predict an outcome that spans 4 centuries or more (or how much time it is needed for certain plastic particles to degenerate into the smallest possible fragments).

Floating plastic bottle in the sea
Plastic pollution is increasingly becoming a major ecological problem – Photo credit to @intothesea_org

Marine life

Marine life will change drastically. Some species will become endangered, while others will flourish and exponentially grow. After a while, we could see less diversity, but actually more quantity of marine life. Scientists are still debating how all the above-mentioned factors (rising temperatures and plastic pollution) have a long-term effect on the quantity and quality of marine life. The intertwined relationship between yacht charter and climate change will become clearer when yachts start to contribute more, in terms of scientific research.

The role of new technologies in yacht charter and climate change

The yachting community also felt the pressure of the ever-growing awareness of how every mode of transportation should switch to more eco-acceptable and eco-friendly propulsion systems. This means using renewable energies like solar or wind, or a complete switch to an eco-friendly alternative, which is hydrogen. New concepts of hydrogen-powered superyachts have already peaked interested parties, and the world will start to see eco-friendly superyachts in the next few years.

Yacht charter and climate change
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