Ocean Conservation

Horizon Yachts is among the first of the world’s leading yacht builders to demonstrate a commitment to ocean conservation with the Water Revolution Foundation.

Joined by other prominent shipyards including Lurssen, Oceanco, Heesen Yachts, Feadship, and Royal Huisman, Horizon Yachts has committed to the establishment of a structural approach for reinvestment into ocean conservation that is based upon the Gross Tonnage (GT) of yachts they deliver. Each yard has committed to contributing €1 per gross ton delivered per year. The builders that have committed thus far have delivered nearly 60,000 GT in 2021.

The Water Revolution Foundation was formed from within the yachting industry as a means to enact tangible steps to preserve the world’s oceans while reducing yachting’s footprint and environmental impact. Funds collected by The Water Revolution Foundation are donated in their entirety to Important Mammal Marine Areas (IMMAs), a program of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Task Force on Marine Mammal Protected Areas. This program seeks to identify areas that are important to marine mammals and prioritize their protection through governmental, intergovernmental and conservation group measures.

With 159 IMMAs already established across the Southern Hemisphere, the scientists behind the IMMA program are now looking to the Northern Hemisphere. In total, there are nine regions of the ocean still to be mapped. The North Atlantic is next, which is the common crossing route for yachts and superyachts between the Mediterranean and Caribbean seasons. The funds collected in 2022 will go toward the €550,000 target goal needed to start the two-year North Atlantic IMMA project.

This initiative coincides with the United Nations’ 2021 declaration of the “Ocean Decade,” a ten-year global emphasis on catalyzing transformative ocean science solutions for sustainable development.

The Water Revolution Foundation is the latest in Horizon Yacht’s attention to quality manufacturing standards and environmental conservation that began with the ISO 9002 certification of each of the company’s five manufacturing facilities and includes the continuous innovations by Atech, the Group’s advanced composites manufacturing division. From its foray into environmentally sustainable yacht design and construction to its low-VOC, patented SCRIMP and now resin vacuum 6D Infusion® technology, Horizon continues to be a pioneer in environmentally sound and efficient design and construction methods producing innovative, lightweight and durable hulls that improve performance while lowering fuel consumption.

“As manufacturers, we have a responsibility to produce with our clients, our employees and our environment in mind,” says Horizon Yachts Founder and CEO John Lu. “Since 1987 we have been committed to implementing innovations and technologies that enhance the yachts we build and advance the yacht building industry in general, while remaining true to our mission to produce responsibly. To join with a significant number of yacht builders in this initiative with The Water Revolution Foundation is testament that the global yachting industry shares in this mission.”