High-end motoryacht builder Greenline Yachts is stepping up its support for the concept of responsible yachting. The hugely successful Slovenian brand has been championing hybrid and electric propulsion for years, but it is raising the stakes with a series of new initiatives, including green awards for customers and sustainable building materials.
More than 1,000 Greenline yachts have been delivered since the yard first opened its doors in 2008. Driven by a passion for the sea and a determination to make yachting more sustainable, Greenline Yachts launched the Greenline 33 as its debut model, unaware they were crafting a bestseller. Within just two years, the Greenline 33 Hybrid was the world’s most popular 10m model.
More designs followed in quick succession: in 2011 it was the Greenline 40 Hybrid (211 hulls sold to date); a few years later there was a 48ft model, then the Greenline 39, the 45 and last year the Greenline 58 Fly. These last two ushered in a new era of design for Greenline Yachts, distinguishing between the Fly and Coupe styling. The flybridge models were an instant success, offering owners an elegant new exterior space up top. The Coupe, meanwhile, preserves the original sleek lines and delivers the maximum solar array. Today, the range runs to eight models from 39ft to 58ft LOA.
Hybrid propulsion
Very early on, shipyard owner Vladimir Zinchenko saw the merits of offering more sustainable propulsion options than the standard diesel engine. He developed the sophisticated 6G H-Drive serial diesel-electric powertrain, now in its sixth generation since 2008.
“Our customers have always wanted to immerse themselves in the natural world and preserve it at the same time,” said Zinchenko. “They want special moments with friends and family on the water but value ecological responsibility and a low impact on the environment. Our range of hybrid yachts allow them to do that, and we are seeing a sharp rise in enquiries as the market changes.”
Hyper efficient hull design
But responsible yachting isn’t simply a matter of greener propulsion – the whole design ethos of Greenline Yachts is built around efficiency in the water. It starts with the “superdisplacement” hulls of each model, which have been rigorously developed and tested to provide the smoothest ride, stability and efficiency at both lower and higher speeds. This gives the yachts impressive range and economy. Operating in highly efficient displacement mode at 4-7 knots, you could cover 20-25 nautical miles under electric power alone. For longer passages, engage the diesel engines to provide more range and up to 25 knots, also charging the batteries as you go. When you arrive at your destination, you can drop the hook and run the yacht in silent electric mode for days.
“Batteries cover 48 hours of aircon and hotel loads in all our yachts, without ever needing to start the engine or a generator. But if you’re not using aircon, your stay can be unlimited, because the solar panels recharge the batteries sufficiently for all other on board consumers.” says Luca Raumland, Chief Commercial Officer at Greenline Yachts. “Every yacht has a big expanse of solar panels, lithium batteries and inverter as standard, and there’s the option to add more for full off-grid autonomy.”
Responsible yachting as a way of life
Greenline Yachts' philosophy of responsible yachting extends to the construction process as well. The high-tech foam sandwich used to strengthen the hull comes from recycled PET plastic. Lay-up is through vacuum infusion, ensuring very precise material use. Currently using exclusively vinyl-ester resin but, the yard’s technicians are experimenting with natural fibres and green resins in the lay-up of the yachts themselves.
The shipyard is also reducing waste and power usage on the production lines. Any offcuts of wood from the interior fit-out are collected and pressed into heating pellets, while leftover foam is reused by a neighboring company to produce home insulation. Production of single-use marketing materials has been almost eliminated and even then, it is clearly focused on recycled or sustainable materials.
“Navigating more than 250,000 miles on my own yacht, later working as a dealer for a sailing yacht brand, gave me a respect for our environment, but it also taught me about what boaters really want from a yacht,” said Zinchenko. “I have brought all that experience to bear in Greenline Yachts, assembling a skilled team to prove that you can build a beautiful yacht in a responsible fashion and still provide extreme comfort and a sense of total safety. We have done this by getting the very best out of our partners and suppliers.”
Greenline Yachts is also working on an annual Greenline Yachts award to recognise those owners who have made the biggest strides towards responsible yachting each year. For example, the awards will celebrate the owner whose yacht has generated the greatest amount of solar power over that year, as well as the highest number of electric engine hours.
It is all part of the Greenline Yachts philosophy of empowering owners to put sustainability at the core of their yachting experience. That is why Greenline Yachts makes sure that every new yacht it delivers is equipped with biodegradable green yacht wash that does no harm to the ocean, and that all its owner’s manuals are in digital form, not printed.