Arksen: The Yachting Industry's Leaders in Sustainability

Designing and crafting exquisite marine exploration vessels, Arksen’s vision is to create and sustain the largest privately owned research-capable fleet on the globe.

From the outset, sustainability has been the heart of Arksen’s ethos. From eco-conscious vessels with environmentally friendly interiors, to carefully considered partnerships, and tireless efforts in philanthropy, the brand hope to expand, energise and inspire a new wave of explorers, sailors and adventurers from all generations and backgrounds to preserve and nurture our oceans.

The Arksen 85 is the prime example of an explorer with sustainability in mind. Now with two in build, the 85 remains amongst the safest, most capable, and robust vessels in her class, and is the first of the hybrid explorer series, soon to become the flagship of the brand.

A remarkably efficient long-range explorer with an extensive standard specification, she is capable of embarking on global ventures from tropical to polar regions. She features a hull and superstructure constructed from recycled aluminium which is capable of being recycled once again at the end of the explorer's life. The interior will also feature a range of recycled and sustainable materials, with soft furnishings even using recycled plastic bottles.

“By reinventing the modern explorer vessel, we are inspiring a new generation of sailor and encouraging them to facilitate research that will contribute to a more profound understanding of the ocean ecosystem," comments Jasper Smith, Founder of Arksen.

Arksen now joins marine industry businesses; Allen Brothers, Emkay Plastics, Multiplast, Princess Yachts, RS Sailing and Wessex Resins as the first seven companies to collaborate on a new venture, with an aim to deliver a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tool for the global marine industry. By each business contributing valuable data from their materials and design processes, the project will be able to further develop the LCA tool.

The LCA tool breaks down the environmental impacts of a product’s full life cycle, from raw materials to disposal, allowing the owner or user to make informed decisions at the design stage to mitigate all potential impacts on the environment. 

“Sustainability and deep technology are at the very core of the Arksen business, two fundamentals that we share with MarineShift360, a venture that will empower marine professionals to make informed decisions on materials and design choices through thorough data analysis and owners to make purchase decisions based on product and environmental impact," says Smith.

"We are excited to work with the team and to help lead a drive towards sustainable practices across the whole marine sector.”

An estimated 8 million tonnes of plastic enter our oceans every year, with over 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic waste estimated to exist in our oceans. With climate change at an all-time high and eco-systems under immense threat, Arksen seeks to provide further availability of infrastructure for marine research, a challenge that many scientists have faced over the years when in search of suitable vessels. 

When designing their vessels, Arksen consulted research institutions for an insight into what is required for vessels to conduct critical research. They provide a platform to support scientific equipment and technologies such as drones and submersibles to protect MPAs, increase awareness of significant ocean issues and provide access to vessels that support conversations and environmental campaigns on working towards cleaner oceans and discovering new life.

Through their Sea Time Pledge, Arksen also want to encourage yacht owners to hand over their vessels for a portion of the year in the name of scientific research and educational projects, granting scientists with essential ocean access. Through their scientific network and with the help of Yachts For Science platform, Arksen owners have access to a plethora of opportunities to transform their ownership into vital exploration and sea time for researchers, explorers, thought leaders and filmmakers to run ground-breaking projects, and to provide a highly educational, family-friendly space for all those onboard.

“The fact that we have committed 10 percent of the boat’s time to these important projects is great,” says an Arksen owner.

“It allows the kids to be involved in finding solutions to some of our most pressing issues and for the community to share knowledge.”

Through the collaborative Yachts For Science project, Arksen continues to tap into the power of bringing yacht owners, crew, marine scientists, researchers, and content creators together to shine a light on the importance of protecting and recovering our oceans by providing essential information to decision-makers.

The ocean provides our world with so much, from medicine, environmental science, social adhesion to agriculture, and as a major carbon sink, it remains one of our greatest allies against climate change. 

For yacht owners and innovators wanting to transform the way they explore, look no further than Arksen.