Our thinking

Get your ship together

23 April, 2021

Sales of electric cars increased by 43% in 2020 and continue to rise, but we don’t tend to focus on the vehicles used offshore.

Last week, we talked about the mega-rich and their disproportionate carbon footprints; a large component of these footprints are super yachts, which can emit around 4,ooo tonnes of CO2 a year (for comparison, the typical UK citizen’s carbon footprint in any year is around 5 tonnes.

So we were excited to hear about a new boat model that has been referred to as ‘the Tesla of boats’. Designed in Sweden, the Eelex 8000 by X Shore, is 100% electric and even considers sustainability in its use of materials, which include recycled bottles, cork, reused plastic, and flax fabric for the hull.

The boat’s design can be tailored to individuals, who can expect to pay roughly €249,000 for the model. So, considering the environmental impacts of the people who can afford such a boat, this is a significant step forward in curbing their carbon footprints.

And those who aren’t willing to give up their floating palaces could take a leaf out of commercial shipping’s book. With shipping accounting for 3% of global emissions, and forecast to could increase to 20%, as other sectors reduce their relative climate impacts, one way to cut shipping emissions could be to retrofit giant sails – a simple intervention, which could reduce emissions by 30% according to The Times this week.

So next time you’re hanging out on the Cote d’Azur (we can dream…), keep an eye out for the new status symbol – electric yachts, or even good old fashioned sail boats.

By Cara McEvoy