Monaco Smart and Sustainable Marina: an award for the marina of the future

Now at its second edition, the Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina Rendezvous brings together 50 startups and 20 marinas & architects from 26 coutries.

From September 25-26, they will meet at the Yacht Club de Monaco to identify actions to address environmental challenges

Heading towards a sustainable marina

The Consensus Meeting selected the companies that will compete for the international Smart & Sustainable Marina Award.

From over 100 candidates, 50 start-ups and some 20 marinas and architecture firms from 26 countries were selected to be included in an electronic catalogue.

The candidates presented their projects to an international jury of marina operators, large companies and investors. A total of 173 individual interviews were held before the main event on 25 and 26 September.

On the first day from 3pm, participants will have the opportunity to present their projects in the exhibition area, such as the Corinthia Yacht Club, under construction in the heart of Porto Arabia Marina (Doha) and the Zhoushan Yacht Club, designed by Ateliers Jean Nouvel in Hambi Zijiin Bay, Zhejiang Province, with the ambition of building a positive energy nautical destination with a low carbon footprint.

For this second edition, M3 (Monaco Marina Management), the Monaco-based consulting company specialized in the development, management and promotion of marinas & yacht clubs, has once again teamed up with Blumorpho, an expert in innovation for sustainable business, to organize this unique networking event bringing together 250 people representing key players in the sector.

Marinas at the heart of future yachting development

The international Smart & Sustainable Marina Award aims to promote innovation and green technology by bringing together the entire ecosystem to exchange and advance ideas on the design and management of the living spaces that marinas represent.

The initiative is supported by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the Government’s Extended Monaco digital transition programme, Credit Suisse, the Al-Rushaid Group, Bombardier, MB92 and Xerjoff.

“The Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina Rendezvous is part of the Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting approach. We have a responsibility to encourage all initiatives that take us towards more eco-responsible yachting for our planet, for the oceans and for future generations. A marina is a key link in the yachting chain, a living space to accommodate yachts, their owners and crews; a future-oriented micro-city where there are strong interactions between the land and marine environments”, states Bernard d’Alessandri, President of Cluster Yachting Monaco and General Secretary of Yacht Club de Monaco,

“The key issues for the conservation of the marine environment are clearly identified. Supporting implementation of sustainable solutions for a more virtuous yachting sector is essential to continue enjoying the sea while seeking answers to conservation challenges. Evaluating the positive impact of innovations while maintaining a holistic approach to the development of smart marinas is crucial, paving the way for the cities of the future”, says Olivier Wenden, Vice-President and CEO of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.

In the last three years, a lot of work has been carried out, mainly thanks to Extended Monaco, to establish Monaco as an avant-garde Smart City. “The yachting industry is not only a vital economic force for Monaco but also a factor in its attractiveness. Developing this industry is a priority for the country, with digital technology as its main asset,” says Frédéric Genta, Chief Officer for Attractiveness and the Digital Transition.

International Smart & Sustainable Marina Awards 2022: the 7 finalists

From the 50 startups in the competition, the jury selected one finalist for each of the seven categories, namely:

CompPair Technologies (New Materials) for its revolutionary composite that repairs 400 times faster, more times and with better quality;

ECOncrete (Biodiversity) for its bio-enhancing concrete for marine construction that stores carbon and increases biodiversity;

Falco (Mobility and Services) for its digital device that optimizes service management and offers customers a connected experience;

GPA Seabots (Optimising Water), a specialist in marine robotics and unmanned surface vehicles with a focus on the analysis, conservation and restoration of marine environments;

Moore More (Equipment & Infrastructure) which can increase berths by +25-40% with its mobile dock system, avoiding the need to build new infrastructure by retrofitting existing elements;

Securaxis (Security) which provides real-time acoustic measurements to protect communities from the impact of noise pollution;

Solar Cloth (Optimising Energy) for its custom-made flexible solar panels that can be easily moved and removed.

One winner will be selected from this short-list on Monday 26^th September 2022.

“This second edition revealed a large number of companies with great potential to provide marinas with solutions to help their sustainability programmes,” explains Géraldine A. Gustin, CEO of Blumorpho – The relevance and high level of innovation of the nominees was appreciated by all members of the jury. In total, 31 ‘coups de cœur’ mentions were awarded, which shows that this process goes beyond the awarding of a single prize. It opens the door to potential partnerships for the adoption of innovations. Discussions are already underway between many of the start-ups, companies and investors”.

New for the 2022 edition is the extension of the awards to marinas and architects as well.

Of the 20 reported projects, many present very innovative architectural philosophies with a sustainable coastal approach. Interesting concepts that could attract the attention of marinas for future eco-responsible developments or extensions.

“We have the same vision and passion for the environment and sustainability. It is our leitmotiv and we are convinced that together we can plan a responsible future with virtuous and attractive marinas”, says José Marco Casellini, CEO of M3.

In the Marina category, the shortlist includes Habacoa in the Bahamas, Kos Marina and Flisvos, both in Greece.

In the Architects category are the Norwegians from Snøhetta, whose submerged building project fits perfectly into the marine environment, the Austrians from NBAX for their project to rehabilitate a former shipyard in the city centre of Sanya in China, and the Spanish architecture firm On A for its port development that includes a lake.

From today until 26 September, it will be the public vote that will decide the final winners in both categories.