Palma, Spain, April 27 (EFE).- Raising awareness about the climate crisis and defending the marine ecosystem in the Balearic Islands are some of the challenges that the initiative ‘Love the Mediterranean’ aims to tackle through the Galaxie sailing yacht, which is entering a new phase combining technology, science, and environmental education.
After months of work and an investment of 600,000 euros, as specified by Marco Mendoza, CEO and co-founder of TrueWorld, the yacht, which features 100% electric propulsion and sails made from recycled material, set sail from Alcúdia port Tuesday to attend this week’s nautical fair at Moll Vell in Palma, capital of the Spanish island of Mallorca.
At an event held Saturday at Palma’s port, Mendoza said he was “overwhelmed” by the warm reception of the project, and stressed the support and effort of various associations and companies that have joined the project from the start to transform ‘Galaxie’, a racing yacht donated by the Joves Navegants Foundation.
This vessel, which has circumnavigated the globe twice, as noted by Patricia Bullock from Joves Navegants, has become the first yacht over 20 meters in the Balearics powered entirely by electric energy, marking a significant advance in the nautical sector’s fight against climate change.
As Ali Vahlhaus and Pilar Gómez from the Cleanwave Foundation noted, this iconic renovated and fully electric boat aims to continue educating and teaching the youth of the islands, particularly those in vulnerable situations, to promote research and awareness of sea protection.
Managed by TrueWorld and in partnership with an agreement for content dissemination with EFE on this initiative, the vessel is equipped with batteries lasting eight to ten hours, flexible solar panels integrated into the sails made from thousands of recycled plastic bottles, and wind turbines that charge during navigation.
During the nautical fair in Palma, running from Thursday to Sunday, the public can visit the yacht and learn more about this non-profit initiative, which has already seen about 300 children participate in Cleanwave’s workshops.
Soon, ‘Galaxie‘, skippered by Raimond Martínez from TrueWorld, is to set sail for its first scientific expedition to Cabrera National Park, south of Mallorca, marking the beginning of various missions to analyze and protect marine biodiversity.
In this project, the PhoenixOne shipyard handled the engine conversion, and Banca March, Berrow Project, Alcudiamar, Quantum Sails, and Omni Access, among other entities, collaborated on various aspects of this initiative aimed at reaching Ibiza, where it is also expected to host talks and workshops on sea protection and awareness.
In the vessel’s renovation, aimed at participating in regattas to position it as a leader among boats sailing with renewable energies, UIB, PQI, and CIFP, along with other organizations and foundations like Marilles and Mar de Fondo, also took part.
The presentation event on Saturday also saw the presence of Diego Viu, the Director-General of Energy of the Balearic Government, and Silvia Delgado, manager of the Institut d’Innovació Empresarial de les Illes Balears (IDI), as well as representatives from associations, researchers, and heads of schools participating in the initiative. EFE
The tech startup TrueWorld, the creator of the project, presented this collaborative initiative to around one hundred attendees; an example of the result of unity and cooperation among entities working towards a common purpose.
‘Love the Mediterranean‘ promotes the protection and conservation of our Balearic sea and positions education and science as pillars of more sustainable development. It has made a lasting impression on all the visitors and exhibitors who have been able to approach the sea from a social and responsible perspective, messages that are crucial for the sector and the future development of the island’s blue economy.
As part of this project, Alcudiamar hosted the vessel during its refit process, and the PhoenixOne shipyard was in charge of the engine conversion. Banca March, the main sponsor, facilitated the activation of project monitoring programs on board the Galaxie, along with Berrow Projects and Prosolvers.
Additionally, the collaboration with Quantum Sails, which provided the “EcoSeries” sails; Juliá Pinturas and Hempel, with materials for the renovation; OmniAccess, Seaconnect, Medvolt, and Marexi with marine technology, were crucial contributions to complete the refit works on time.
The electric conversion was made possible thanks to a grant from the Ministry of Business, Education, and Energy, which was fundamental for carrying out this project aimed at marine conservation and climate action through the restoration of this iconic yacht.
The presentation event this Saturday was made possible by the organization of PIBS and Palma Super Yacht Village, which provided the space for the Galaxie.
It also featured the presence of Diego Viu, the Director-General of Energy of the Balearic Government; Ingrid Liliana de la Fuente, the Director-General of Industry; and Silvia Delgado, manager of IDI, as well as representatives from collaborating associations such as Mallorca Preservation Fund, Marilles Foundation, Observadores del Mar, MARE, Cleanwave Foundation, Escoles Blaves, and Mar de Fondo, whose contributions have enriched the sessions held at PIBS across its three facets: science, education, and outreach.
Officials and clusters from the maritime sector were also in attendance. EFE