Operations Targets
The Roadmap 2050
The Roadmap 2050: Operations targets
The day-to-day running of the world’s roughly 6,000 yachts over 30 metres accounts for the biggest share of the industry’s annual environmental impact and the fleet keeps growing. That makes operations the most urgent area to tackle.
What are we targeting?
The targets focus on two parallel tracks: switching the fleet to cleaner fuels, and reducing the energy, waste, and water that yachts consume while at sea or in port.
Cutting energy demand always comes first. Using less is better than fueling differently. Where fuel switching is required, the most practical near-term option for the existing fleet is HVO (a cleaner diesel substitute made from waste fats, used cooking oils, and certified residue feedstocks; WRF’s position is that only waste-based HVO counts as a credible substitute; virgin vegetable-oil HVO can be worse than fossil diesel once land-use change is accounted for). It is a transition fuel, not an endpoint: global HVO production is constrained, and a fleet-wide switch depends on parallel scaling of supply, not just yacht-side demand.
The Roadmap accounts for this, which is why targets are phased, and fuel diversification beyond HVO – including green methanol, ammonia, and hydrogen pathways is actively tracked.
Marinas are part of the picture too, with targets for sourcing renewable electricity running in step with the fleet targets.
The targets at a glance
Since 2025, the 10 largest yacht management companies have been tracking and submitting annual fleet data. From there, the share of yachts running on alternative fuels and marinas powered by renewables rises every five years, reaching 100% by 2050.
The collective path forward
The Foundation works with leading yacht management companies to align on data standards, fuel definitions, and reporting methodology, ensuring the numbers submitted by different companies tell a coherent, comparable story. The minimum reporting framework is set collectively, and the definition of qualifying alternative fuels is reviewed as the supply landscape evolves. Owners, managers, captains, and crew all have a role to play and all are welcome at the table.
Operation reduce actions
The 10 largest yacht management companies begin tracking and submitting annual fleet data, covering energy consumption, fuel type and volume, waste generation, and water use with a consistent minimum KPI set to ensure data is comparable across the fleet.
Fleet: 30% of yachts sourcing more than 50% of their fuel consumption from qualifying alternative fuels, meaning waste-feedstock HVO or other verified low-carbon fuels, while minimising onboard energy, waste, and water use.
Marinas: 30% sourcing 100% renewable electricity via direct power purchase agreement, on-site generation, or guaranteed-origin certificates.
Fleet: 53% of yachts use alternative fuels, while minimising onboard energy, waste and water
Marinas: 53% to switch to renewable shore power
Fleet: 72% of yachts use alternative fuels, while minimising onboard energy, waste and water
Marinas: 72% to switch to renewable shore power
Fleet: 87% of yachts use alternative fuels, while minimising onboard energy, waste and water
Marinas: 87% to switch to renewable shore power
Fleet: 100% of yachts meeting the alternative fuel threshold, with net-zero impact from onboard energy, waste, and water measured against the 2025 baseline, after recycling, reuse, and verified treatment credits are applied.
Marinas: 100% sourcing renewable electricity.