About Clearwater Rating
The Clearwater Rating system provides an independent and unbiased evaluation of a vessel’s environmental performance. It enables its exponents to demonstrate an advanced commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability that goes beyond the requirement of legislation, setting benchmarks to raise the environmental standards of operations. The rating is non-compulsory, setting apart those vessels with a certified Clearwater Rating as an example of industry best practice.
A Clearwater Rating takes into consideration original manufacturing processes and materials of the boat, but places significant emphasis on how well the boat is designed and can be operated to minimise the impact of a leisure vessel upon air and water quality, energy consumption, noise pollution, seabed, foreshore, wildlife and global resources. Clearwater Rating recognises that the typical service life of a vessel spans several decades and hence, its operational environmental performance has a more profound impact over time.
For that reason, a Clearwater Rating is also dynamic in terms of requirement and must be reapplied for, which enables a manufacturer or owner to gain recognition for improvements in areas like systems for older vessels, as well as new technology builds.
Most boat materials and manufacturing processes still have some way to go before they can be truly classed as ‘environmentally friendly’, so we believe it is important to focus now on making clear those boats and superyachts in the market place that have been designed to reduce the impact on the environment where they sail.
Financial structure and mission
The Clearwater Rating scheme is run on a not-for-profit basis with any excess income donated to the Blue Marine Foundation. Its objective is to fill a recognisable void in available global standards and its mission is to provide and promote Clearwater Rating’s objective environmental rating system globally and free of commercial bias – for the love of the sea.
The team and our personal aims
The Clearwater Rating system has been researched and created by three highly experienced experts in the field of technical compliance – Alasdair Reay and Maria Garcia-Donaire of HPi Verification Services and Craig Morris of RCD and CE marking specialist consultancy, CE Proof. They launched it out of a shared frustration that no objective benchmarks existed for evaluating and grading the environmental footprint of superyachts and leisure vessels.
Independence and wide consultation
The Clearwater Rating team are in the process of building a board of independent governors for the scheme. Please contact us using the form below if you would like to be considered for a voluntary governance role.
It is a key focus for us to solicit interest from manufacturers, technical consultants, owners, marine industry associations and others around the world, to ensure the widest possible use and continuous improvement of the Clearwater Rating system.
