Clearwater Rating launched at Monaco Yacht Show

by Emma Stanbury 21 Sep 2018 17:55 PDT 26 September 2018

Boatyards and owners now have a completely unbiased rating system against which to assess the environmental impact of superyachts and leisure vessels.

The launch of Clearwater Rating at the Monaco Yacht Show marks the first time that such an objective standard will be available globally, free of commercial bias.

To celebrate this milestone, Clearwater Rating will be awarding the new Vita electric-powered classic tender with its Gold Standard at the Monaco Yacht Show. Gold is the pinnacle of seven rating bands which will provide a clearly understood measure of the environmental footprint for vessels, from traditionally constructed and conventionally fuelled yachts, through to hybrids and zero emission vessels.

A Clearwater Rating provides:

• a manufacturer with an unbiased and standardised measure of the environmental credentials of its products
  
• an owner with benchmarks for the current and future impact of his or her leisure vessel, plus a basis to apply environmental best practice in day-to-day operations
  
• everyone with confirmation of the cleanliness of a superyacht, whether purchasing, buying, hiring or chartering

The Clearwater Rating system has been researched and created by three highly experienced experts in the field of technical compliance – Alasdair Reay and Maria Garcia-Donaire of HPi Verification Services and Craig Morris of CE Proof. It has been launched to fill a recognisable void in available global standards and the scheme will be run on a not-for-profit basis with any excess income donated to the Blue Marine Foundation.

The Clearwater Rating team will commence building a board of independent governors for the scheme and will be actively soliciting interest from manufacturers, technical consultants, owners and others around the world to ensure its widest possible use.

Speaking prior to the launch, and just before he embarked on a London to Monaco cycle ride in aid of the Blue Marine Foundation, Alasdair Reay stated: "For some years, Maria, Craig and I have shared a frustration that no objective benchmarks existed for evaluating and grading the environmental footprint of superyachts and leisure vessels. We've now consulted, researched and invested in the Clearwater Rating system and I'll be carrying our first certificate with me, by bicycle, for its zero-carbon footprint presentation to the Vita 28. Please join us on the British Marine stand QS28, located in the Darse Sud area of the Monaco Yacht Show, on Wednesday 26 September at 1500 hours, to see the award of the Gold Standard and to discuss the detail of the scheme with us."

Find out more at clearwater-rating.org