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Superyacht owners help environment with the SeaKeeper 1000
In 1998 the International SeaKeepers Society was founded by two Los-Angeles based businessmen and yacht owners. The objective was to develop an automated monitoring system that was compact enough to install upon a yacht, relaying data to scientists in order to measure the state of the ocean.
The SeaKeepers society has acquired 300 million meteorological, climatologic and oceanographic measurements. This astonishing amount of data, which makes up 6% of the world's weather data reported by CNN, is provided by participating superyachts including the stunning 82m M/Y Alfa Nero.
The equipment, named the SeaKeeper 1000, is currently installed aboard over 30 superyachts all over the world, alongside being placed on ferries, buoys and piers. The device constantly collects information on oxygen levels and pH balance; barometric pressure and wind speed alongside other vital measurements. The SeaKeeper 1000 system once placed aboard a superyacht does fantastic work for the environment, collecting around 14,400 measurements every day.
The SeaKeeper 1000 is becoming increasingly recognised in the scientific community since its beginning due to its ability to provide cost-effective and reliable information. According to the International SeaKeeper Society, the SeaKeeper 1000 draws seawater into itself via pumps and takes measurements in a dark, enclosed environment, leaving the equipment free of bio-fouling. An automatic chlorination system virtually eliminates fouling in the equipment.
This research is imperative for scientists back on land as it helps to give them a better idea of how to work with the ocean’s current state, in order to preserve marine life and keep the water clean.
Superyacht owners can support the International SeaKeepers Society through an annual membership fee. However, it is not just superyacht owners who are helping preserve marine life but also the superyacht builders and shipyards. Organisations such as Oceanco, Azimut Yachts, Christensen and Lürssen act as “Yacht Partners”, donating to the society and recruiting use of the equipment.
There are many other measures that superyacht owners can take to protect the environment, through onboard equipment, operational procedures and design equipment. According to Italian ship classification company RINA, measures include holding tanks for grey water and the prevention of operational pollution by oil through bilge water separation or filtering system. RINA is dedicated to environmentally friendly shipping and introduced the Green Star and Green Plus notation granted to yachts that make a significant investment to contribute to environmental performance beyond the levels required by regulation.
The International SeaKeepers Society is a major organisation dedicated to conserving and understanding the current state of the ocean. The ongoing support of builders and superyacht owners help to provide vast amounts of research data on the state of marine health, which is vital for the precise measurements required for global climate and sea-change models.