Orvas Yachting verifies Vessel Environmental Footprint with Green Sail

All yacht charter companies in Croatia make their business thanks to the beauty of Adriatic coast and cleanliness of the Adriatic Sea. It’s a joy to operate in such a wonderful environment because customers are happy with the destination. Every year, millions of tons of waste are dumped into the ocean and carried by the wind, and the Adriatic is no exception, especially when blow some of the famous winds in Croatia. The consequences of this practice are serious and far-reaching, affecting both the environment and the economy. This is why it’s crucial to keep the Adriatic clean and in the past couple of years awareness about the importance of this topic has increased. One of the reasons for this is thanks to the efforts of Green Sail.

Since their establishment, Green Sail has been working on promoting sustainable tourist practices but has also been educating people from tourist industry in Croatia. Apart from having several education courses, they have multiple programs and one of them is Vessel Environmental Footprint. Even though we have participated in Green Sail team event before and it was both fun and educational, implementing Vessel Environmental Footprint was the next step for us to make.

The Vessel Environmental Footprint (VEF) is a rating system used to measure the environmental impact of vessels and ships. It takes into account several factors such as emissions, power usage, waste production and water usage, to assign a rating out of 5. A rating of 1 indicates that the vessel has a significant environmental footprint, while a rating of 5 indicates that it is a sustainable vessel that takes active measures to reduce its impact on the environment.

The VEF rating system is particularly important for the yacht charter industry, which is known to have a significant impact on the environment due to high fuel consumption and emissions associated with luxury yachts. By adopting the VEF ratings system, yacht charter companies can work towards reducing their environmental impact and demonstrate their commitment to sustainability. This, in turn, allows customers to make informed choices that support green actions.

VEF ratings provide a competitive advantage for companies that prioritize sustainability and promote their more environmentally friendly vessels. By encouraging a more environmentally conscious approach to yacht chartering, the VEF system helps promote sustainability in the yacht charter industry. Overall, the VEF rating system is a valuable tool for promoting sustainable practices and minimizing the environmental impact of maritime transportation.

However, gains from using VEF are multiple. Investing in sustainability can lead to increased revenue for companies. While sustainable products and services may be more expensive due to factors such as higher labor costs, expensive certifications, and the high cost of raw materials, some studies have shown that consumers are increasingly willing to pay higher prices for environmentally friendly products. This increased demand for sustainable options allows companies to charge more for their products or services, resulting in increased revenue. In addition, a commitment to sustainability can enhance a company's reputation and attract customers who prioritize ethical and environmentally conscious businesses. Apart from the image, VEF can also improve the company’s integrity.

What’s interesting is that employees working for companies that have incorporated positive environmental practices in their long-term business strategies are more motivated and effective. This comes as no surprise because people believe their work creates positive impact.

Another reason why it’s good to implement sustainable environmental practices is because this is the future. It’s not future only because clients are tracking more and more whether certain companies have positive environmental practices, but also because legislation in the future will surely focus more on these policies and turn them into the law. When that happens, companies that have implemented sustainable practices will have a competitive advantage over businesses that haven’t done so.

According to calculations made by Green Sail, our fleet of 15 verified vessels has had the following environmental impact: generated a total of 125 tonnes of carbon emissions, consumed approximately 761,208 litres of water and discharged around 198,576 litres of blackwater waste. Just for comparison, average vehicle has emission of cca 4,6 tons of carbon per year. This is only the first step towards addressing environmental sustainability by quantifying our impact on the environment. Although reducing our environmental footprint is a gradual process, significant changes can be made even with small actions. To achieve the desired results, it takes time.

What’s next for us is to demonstrate our leadership in sustainability by sharing our accomplishments within the company and with stakeholders. We will establish long-term goals to minimize our environmental footprint. Another thing we should do is to select a carbon offset project. Funding a carbon offset project is an effective way to offset your emissions by supporting an equivalent carbon dioxide saving in another area, such as biodiversity, education, employment, food security, health, and well-being.

It's of vital interest of all stakeholders from yacht charter industry in Croatia to implement practices that lead to preserving the environment for future generations. Therefore, we’re very happy to be part of this tremendous movement. We truly believe improved environmental practices and educating people included in our industry can deliver a positive impact. Therefore, we will remain dedicated to achieving long-term goals of reducing our environmental footprint and encouraging everyone in the industry to do the same.

Only by doing so, we will make a positive change.