METSTRADE: New YETI software tool launches to reduce yachting’s eco-footprint
The Yacht Environmental Transparency Index (YETI) software tool has launched at METSTRADE 2024.
Culminating five years of industry-wide collaboration, the YETI software tool is designed to enable the yachting industry to assess, compare and improve its environmental footprint. YETI calculates key environmental factors, including propulsion systems, energy usage in hotel functions like lighting and air conditioning, and kitchen operations, providing a comprehensive environmental profile for each yacht.
Presented by Water Revolution Foundation’s executive director, Robert van Tol, and technical director, Hanna Dąbrowska, the premiere demo of the software highlighted key distinctions between YETI Lite and YETI Pro, the two versions now available to users on a web-based platform developed by the Maritime Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN).
Fraser has become the first brokerage to partner with the Water Revolution Foundation and adopt YETI. Fraser says will apply the system to evaluate an initial first batch of 20 yachts from its yacht management fleet. This will allow the firm to market its yachts as ‘more’ sustainable – a crucial commercial consideration amid growing demand from environmentally aware charterers and buyers.
The Water Revolution Foundation is a Dutch legal entity called a ‘stichting’, which is “an institution aiming to achieve a certain goal”. The foundation has also been granted the status of a Public Benefit Organisation.
“Fraser’s commitment to integrating YETI into their fleet management signals a significant leap forward in our goal to foster a more sustainable yachting industry,” says Van Tol.
YETI Lite is a free, open-source, entry-level tool designed to help non-technical users gain a basic understanding of their yacht’s environmental footprint. It provides estimated performance scores with up to 90 per cent accuracy based on gross tonnage and load waterline length (LWL). Ideal for raising internal awareness, YETI Lite serves as an informational resource but is not suitable for making official claims.
YETI Pro offers a comprehensive assessment tool for technical professionals, offering a full, in-depth analysis based on well-to-wake impact of energy carriers and reference lines to benchmark yacht performance. With an extensive dashboard reflecting assessment results, users can explore and test potential solutions for reducing environmental impact. This version achieves higher accuracy than YETI Lite and includes third-party verification options for official scores.
The first version of the YETI tool, YETI 1.0, was introduced at METSTRADE in 2022.
Environmental footprint tracker for yachts
The YETI project has brought together renowned shipyards, naval architecture studios and research institutes who have collaborated in the development of this comprehensive framework to measure a yacht’s environmental performance in the operational phase of its life cycle.
According to developers, this voluntary assessment tool provides both the yachting industry and yacht owners with a clear understanding of their vessel’s current ecological impact and the sources of that impact, serving as a valuable decision support system for setting sustainability ambitions in new yacht builds and guiding existing vessels (power and sail) toward meaningful environmental upgrades. To ensure industry-wide usability, a working group of various target users supported the tool developers to create an intuitive interface making YETI accessible to shipyards, designers, engineers, captains, crews, marinas, financiers, brokers and suppliers.
Fraser says the insights provided by adopting YETI will enable its experts to guide clients on implementing environmental upgrades, particularly during refit periods. These recommendations could include the integration of more efficient hotel functions – since these consume at least 50 per cent of a yacht’s energy – along with the adoption of energy-saving and recovery technologies, and the use of filters and treatment systems, enhancing the yacht’s performance for a reduced ecological footprint.
What makes YETI different?
Moving away from traditional sustainability narratives of shame and blame, YETI allows users to input their own data and take control of their environmental impact. It provides a clear direction, shows the effect of potential solutions, and offers valuable education to users while serving as a robust risk-analysis tool.
The YETI method is not intended as an alternative for legislative developments such as EEDI, EEXI and CII, going further than CO2 impact by taking a holistic Life Cycle Approach. It goes beyond regulatory compliance to deliver a sector-specific, transparent methodology tailored to the unique challenges of the yachting industry.
“Transparency is the cornerstone of meaningful change. By delivering clear, honest measurements and actionable insights, YETI empowers the yachting industry to move beyond compliance, take responsibility, and make informed decisions that drive real environmental progress. With a comprehensive view of a yacht’s impact, we are confident that YETI will provide the clarity and insights needed to navigate toward a future-proof yachting industry,” says Dąbrowska.
A new environmental metric for yachting
YETI introduces a new term for the industry to express its environmental impact: EcoPoints. No less than 18 different impact categories are evaluated and summarised into one single score. The scoring system allows for easy comparison of the environmental impact of various products, calculating the various effects of parameters such as CO2, CO, HC, NOx, ammonia and PM 2.5 in one single number. Specific impacts are also reported separately to allow for transparency and steering on a selection of them (e.g., CO2 equivalent, which is a common focus for regulatory bodies).
Focus on the environmental impact of the superyacht is growing, with global warming now expected to exceed 1.5C in the coming two decades.
Extinction Rebellion supporters protested at the doors of the Superyacht Forum at METSTRADE 2022, and in 2023, with a spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion Amsterdam saying: “Superyachts are an obvious symbol of climate and social injustice.”
The future of YETI
YETI’s method is currently proposed in ISO TS23099 to become an industry standard and common benchmark. The aim is for the entire global fleet to be calculated using YETI Pro, with scores validated by a third-party for official certification, ensuring complete transparency.
“The launch of YETI software marks the dawn of a new era for yachting – one where actionable insights drive progress. By providing a clear, reliable framework for assessing and improving environmental performance, YETI offers a clear, data-driven pathway to achieve measurable change. Together, we can create a yachting industry that thrives while safeguarding the ocean we rely on for generations to come,” said Vienna Eleuteri, vice-chair and initiator of the foundation.
The software is now available online.
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