VSY is the latest superyacht shipyard—and the first one in Europe—to align itself with the Wood Forever program, which enlists the yachting industry in combating deforestation worldwide.
Part of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, Wood Forever was established in 2010, with the support of the Monaco Yacht Show, SYBAss, and more. It strives to educate yacht builders, designers, and more about the origins of the wood they are using, in anticipation of them making more informed choices. Species such as teak, mahogany, and ebony, for example, are in high demand for megayachts, due to their aesthetic attributes as well as their durability. Unfortunately, however, these same woods are often illegally logged and taken from areas where serious deforestation is resulting. The Wood Forever program maps out wood supplies, analyzes any risks of illegal activity and/or resource depletion, and helps create a responsible purchasing policy for yachting companies.
VSY joins Burger Boat Company as the only other yacht builder affiliated with the program. (On a side note, Burger became not only the first American shipyard to support Wood Forever, but also the first shipyard anywhere to do so, in 2011.) VSY’s owners, Christiana and Simone Longarini, who are also the managing director and chairman, respectively, established the shipyard with environmental responsibility as a cornerstone of their philosophy. It uses recyclable materials as much as possible, for example, plus makes a version of Dynamic Positioning available to all of its megayacht projects, which include Stella Maris, pictured here. VSY calls it a “green anchoring system,” since the system lets a yacht stay on position by using thrusters.
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