Environment

As a responsible business we are doing everything we can to minimise our environmental impact and contribute to a more sustainable world.

Keeping it Local

There are plenty of good reasons for a vertically integrated business model. Our boats and components are made in Plymouth, and not only do we make the hull and superstructure of the boat, we also craft our own moulds, using the most efficient modern method of resin infusion, thus producing significantly less wastage. Components are all built in-house, such as electrical wiring looms, furniture etc. This allows us to employ the best skilled craftsmen and gives us control over production supply and ensures the highest design, materials, craftmanship and build quality. The environmental impact is also huge because for a lot of companies the carbon footprint from shipping parts is huge. We are continuing our efforts to keep our impact to a minimum.

Cycling Initiatives

A local workforce raises another good avenue for cutting our environmental impact. We have been running a Cycle to Work scheme since summer 2021 that has seen great interest among our workforce. Approaching 200 people have taken up the offer, provided through Cyclescheme, which gives a £750 voucher enabling employees to buy their own bikes. We are also taking further steps to make cycling to work easier, including improving our bike racks and on-site shower facilities, as well as running events at our largest sites promoting green travel-to-work initiatives and giving free bike services.

BIOMASS PROJECT CUTS COSTS AND CARBON FOOTPRINT

For any business, the generation of power comes with a significant cost both financially and in terms of environmental impact. Our South Yard site has historically needed around 500,000 litres of gas oil and 97,000 litres of kerosene a year for heating purposes. Since installing a biomass boiler in 2020 we have been collecting waste wood from across all our sites which are then chipped and used as fuel. We produce more than 1400 tonnes of waste wood a year – instead of paying for it to be
picked up and disposed of, the biomass project uses it to offset our fossil fuel consumption.

• Carbon savings of around 1500 tonnes a year by using
wood instead of fossil fuels – equivalent to switching 500 homes
to a renewable heating source.

• In addition to the reduction in CO2, the project also
delivers a cost saving.
• Initially estimated to save up to £200,000 per annum,
but current high fuel costs mean this saving will
increase significantly.

Resource and Waste Awareness Campaign

Princess Yachts has set challenging waste-management targets because we are passionate about minimising our impact on the environment and are committed taking positive action and driving change by empowering the workforce to take positive action.

The Resource and Waste Awareness Campaign acknowledges that changing hearts, minds and attitudes of the people it employs, the contractors that support the company and its supply chain, will help with the sustainability agenda as well as the promotion of a safe work environment.

The aim of the campaign is to ensure the company stays legally compliant, individuals take responsibility for the waste they produce and support with embedding the principals of the Waste Hierarchy into the organisation’s structure and operational procedures and processes.

The campaign is developing new artwork for existing waste facilities with a focus of increasing recycling and reducing bin contamination and therefore waste currently being sent to landfill. New recycling facilities will be installed into the canteens, offices and communal areas, with posters and resources being written to support the campaign to ensure the correct advice and guidance is available for the campaign to be a success.

Life Cycle Assessment

As part of Princess Yachts’ commitment to moving from a linear economy to a circular one, the organisation is working in partnership with the University of Plymouth to support a student over a three-year period to complete a PhD on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a boat line. This exciting project will enable the organisation to proactively make informed sustainability decisions for developing their product whilst reducing their impact on the environment.

Linear economy model

Life Cycle Assessment

LCA is a technique used to assess environmental and economic impacts associated with all the stages of a product's life. LCA is also known as ‘cradle to grave’ assessment of systems ranging from raw material extraction through to materials processing, manufacture, distribution and use. All life cycle stages are addressed from the perspective that each stage depends on the ones before it.

The main goal of LCA is to compare the full range of environmental effects assignable to products and services by quantifying all inputs and outputs of material flows and assessing how these material flows impact the environment.

What are the benefits?

Provide comprehensive view on environmental impacts
Quantify environmental effects such as overall energy consumption or air emissions
Recognise inefficiencies or significant changes across life cycle phases
Identify specific Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
Improve bottom line (best return)
Support target setting for the company

Circular economy

Silent Running

Princess Yachts is taking the first steps towards electrification by reducing our reliance on diesel generators. We have launched a new system capable of running all hotel services overnight using battery power alone – including the air-conditioning and stabilisation – in low-power operation modes. This has required us to optimise our energy management with the use of the most efficient batteries along with the development of low-power modes for the systems they are powering.

The system was first launched on the X80 and we expect it to be popular
as it is rolled out across the range. Our increased focus on efficiency
means that in the future we will be adding hybrid drive,
allowing silent-running at low speeds, giving the capability to enter environmentally sensitive areas, as well as the ability to silently
leave a marina at any time of night.

The system includes:

An overnight battery with 150kWh capacity
A 48v li-ion battery pack, 36kW bank of inverter/chargers,
2 x 8kW 48V PTO gearbox driven generators, high efficiency
18kW 48V bow and stern thrusters, (48V electro-hydraulic fin
stabiliser system when selected) and all necessary power
electronics.

Hull Efficiency

Recent advances in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations have played an increasingly important role in hull development. We “parameterise” the hull – meaning that if we change one parameter (ie length, width, height or volume) the 3D computer model is able to proportionally change all other parameters. This allows a complete exploration of the design space to determine which precise combination of parameters results in the most efficient hull form for any particular application and operating profile.

We also take a close look at all of the hull appendages and machinery to ensure that every component is working as efficiently as possible. This includes, for example, careful investigation of the fin stabiliser location and neutral angle at every speed to best complement the hull efficiency, or working with suppliers to optimise prop size and gear ratio.
The net result of this detailed approach to eliminating energy loss is that the sum of multiple small gains results in an appreciable improvement that ultimately results in reduced fuel consumption, CO2 and particulate
emissions over the yacht’s lifetime.