New ISO/TS 23099 Explained: Environmental Scores for Superyachts and Tourism Impacts

ISO/TS 23099 has been formally approved and applies to yachts exceeding 30 meters (98 feet), using an operational profile based on real-world usage: cruising 10%, at anchor 34%, and docked 56%. The specification creates a comparable scoring system for large yachts by combining emissions and other impact factors into a unified EcoPoints metric.

From YETI to an International Specification

The specification grew out of work by the Yacht Environmental Transparency Index (YETI), an initiative of the Water Revolution Foundation, and represents a years-long effort to produce a science-based, industry-consensus method for assessing the environmental performance of superyachts. The ISO working group intentionally developed metrics rooted in the operational realities of yachting, rather than simply adapting commercial shipping rules.

Why a Yacht-Specific Approach Matters

Commercial ships typically operate underway the majority of the time; yachts do not. The median operational profile used for ISO/TS 23099 reflects this, and it alters both the relative weight of emissions sources and the practical measures owners and yards must consider. Scoring is performed relative to other yachts in the same gross-tonnage category, allowing direct comparisons among similar vessels.

What ISO/TS 23099 Measures

Beyond a narrow focus on carbon dioxide, the specification aggregates multiple environmental factors into EcoPoints. These include:

• Nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions
• Sulfur oxides (SOx) where applicable
• CO2 and fuel consumption profiles
• Operational impacts such as anchoring behavior and time in port
• Energy system efficiency on board (propulsion and hotel loads)

How Scoring Works in Practice

Yacht environmental performance is expressed as a score that allows owners, yards and regulators to benchmark vessels across similar classes. The approach permits scenario modeling for both new builds and refits, enabling stakeholders to quantify expected improvements from technical changes—battery hybridization, shore-power upgrades, hull-efficiency measures, and alternative fuels.

Practical Steps for Owners and Yards

• Adopt the median operational profile when estimating annual impacts.
• Model EcoPoints changes before committing to refit options.
• Prioritize shore power and hotel-load efficiency upgrades to reduce anchored and docked impacts.
• Use standardized scoring to demonstrate environmental improvements to charter clients and marinas.

Industry voices stress that broader adoption requires further work to make the specification robust and widely implemented across yards and operators. At the same time, the standard confirms a practical, proactive route toward decarbonization that yards can adopt in design and construction planning.

Implications for Yachting, Marinas and Tourism

The availability of a transparent, comparable environmental score changes how charters and marinas market vessels and berth services. Charter operators may highlight EcoPoints as part of their sustainability credentials; marinas can use scores to prioritize infrastructure upgrades like expanded shore power. For travelers, clearer environmental data helps when choosing responsible charter experiences and planning itineraries that favor eco-conscious operators.

The standard also supports tourism infrastructure planning—ports, waste reception facilities and protected anchorages can be managed more effectively when yachts are assessed using consistent metrics. That alignment reduces friction between regulators and the leisure sector and helps travelers have a mind to book charters that minimize environmental footprint.

Highlights: ISO/TS 23099 provides a science-based scoring system tailored to yacht operations, uses a median operational profile rooted in actual usage patterns, expands beyond CO2 to an aggregated EcoPoints metric, and creates practical pathways for owners and shipyards to plan decarbonization through new build and refit options. Still, widespread adoption will depend on further work to ensure robustness and industry buy-in. Yet even the best reviews and the most honest feedback can’t truly compare to personal experience. On GetExperience, you book your experience from verified providers at reasonable prices. This empowers you to make the most informed decision without unnecessary expenses or disappointments; the platform supports full and secure payments with voucher confirmation afterward and allows you to submit requests for tailored tours or excursions from providers who match your preferences. Book now GetExperience.com

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