I often wonder what the world will be like when I am enjoying my twilight years, not just politically or financially, but more the health of the planet and all of its intertwined ecosystems. Having spent all of my working life, and much of my private life connected to the sea, I have decided to do something different to celebrate our ‘25 Years of The Superyacht Group’; no parties or awards or celebrations, more a case of giving something back.

If we apply current superyacht market growth trends to the next 25 years, we could, perhaps, see another few-thousand superyachts enter the fleet, all looking for quiet and exclusive anchorages with pristine aquamarine waters and white sandy beaches, or quaint quiet marinas with picture-book architecture. But without being too negative, I have my doubts about the long-term health of the oceans and the quality of our future cruising grounds and anchorages. 

There are hundreds of pressure groups, champions and charities who are all focused on various aspects of the ocean and the various threats it faces and, perhaps, one day we will achieve a level of success that stems the flow of waste, contaminants and other environmental impacts that damage the ocean’s massive ecosystem. However, it is all about continual public awareness and raising funds in order to add more and more pressure to governments and to fund projects that will make a specific contribution. 

So today, on 25th September, some 25 years after I first embarked on my mission to create a serious superyacht media company, we are launching a very simple, but hopefully very effective, campaign focused on raising awareness and money for a variety of ocean charities.

Today we are promoting the sale of a series of cool, Ocean Chari-Tee Shirts to mark our 25th Anniversary, but more to highlight the fact that we, The Superyacht Group are not the important part of the equation; we are a vehicle, media channel and network that can do something unique and positive for the environment that our industry relies on. 

Each Ocean Chari-Tee-Shirt bears a custom typographic design that focuses on the four issues that we recognise are likely to impact our industry and the ocean we play in. No one wants to dive or snorkel in water that is littered by tonnes of floating plastic or watch coral reefs diminish and die. Nobody wants to experience an ocean without teeming shoals of healthy fish, or see small villages on stunning atolls sink beneath a rising tide, with a much-depleted food source. 

At the current rate of decline, it is becoming more and more evident that unless everyone who depends on the ocean in any way at all, makes some contribution, no matter how small, our future superyacht fleet will be faced with cruising grounds that do not support the needs or expectations of our clients, or the socio-economic needs of the local communities. 

As our slogan suggests, 25 Years from now…No fish, no coral, just plastic as far as the eye can sea. 

So, by supporting our 25th Anniversary Ocean Chari-Tee Campaign and by just spending €25 euros to buy one of our Chari-Tees, 100% of the profits will go to a select group of ocean-related charities and help make a difference. 25,000 Chari-Tees will raise over €300,000, so spread the word and let’s see if The Superyacht industry can Group together. Here’s to the next 25 Years.

To buy your new Chari-Tee Shirt, and immediately make a difference to the future of our oceans, click here. 

Click here to become part of The Superyacht Group community, and join us in our mission to make this industry accessible to all, and prosperous for the long-term. We are offering access to the superyacht industry’s most comprehensive and longstanding archive of business-critical information, as well as a comprehensive, real-time superyacht fleet database, for just £10 per month, because we are One Industry with One Mission. Sign up here.