Volvo Cork Week, taking place at Royal Cork Yacht Club this week (July 15th to 19th) is committed to making the world-renowned regatta a green event by taking significant steps to conserve the ocean habitat of Cork Harbour. Organisers are striving to achieve the gold standard ‘Clean Regatta’ certification from Sailors for the Sea, the world’s leading ocean conservation organisation that educates and activates the sailing and boating community toward restoring ocean health. They have introduced several sustainability measures to preserve the maritime health of important local waters.
A special green team and green policy has been established at the Royal Cork Yacht Club for Volvo Cork Week. They have developed a number of initiatives to ensure that the event has a minimum impact on the local environment including free water refills at hydration stations, providing oil spill kits, fuel collars, no-spill refueling devices, and training for support vessels and staff, as well as briefing sailors on details of sensitive habitats and wildlife to be avoided.
Additionally, sustainability was a focus at the Family Fun Day, which featured a marine market to promote local sustainable products within the community. As part of their education and outreach, children also learned about marine conservation with UCC marine ecologist Dr. Sam Fox, who educated them on caring for the sea and coastal areas around them.
Throughout the week, the club are sourcing local food and supplies where possible, encouraging vendors to use reusable or compostable packaging and the world-renowned regatta will present upcycled trophies to all winners. Organisers have prohibited the overboard discharge of any rubbish and have instigated a boat wash-down system before and after the event, to prevent the spread of non-native invasive species. They are providing a bunded on-shore refueling area for safety boat drivers, as well as several other environmental protocols. Crosshaven Sea Scouts will collect single-use cans and bottles and bring them to the local Re-turn Return2Deposit scheme outlet.
Annamarie Fegan, Admiral, Royal Cork Yacht Club and co-chair of Volvo Cork Week, said, “The waters of Cork Harbour and our coastlines are vital to us, as they provide the facility to do what we all love, to sail. It is our role to ensure that we do everything we can to protect and preserve this natural habitat. The Royal Cork Yacht Club is committed to actively managing our environmental footprint. We have worked closely with UCC’s MaREI Research Centre who have advised us on sustainability steps we need to take to make Volvo Cork Week as eco-friendly as possible. Our sustainability strategy for Volvo Cork Week has specific actions to minimise energy and consumption, water consumption, reduce waste, and keep our seas and waterways free of contamination and plastic pollution.”
Other initiatives in the Volvo Cork Week Green Events Policy include:
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Caterers to use reusable crockery, cutlery and cups rather than single-use plastic, and vendors on site to use compostable or recyclable packing materials and appropriate waste management.
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Trigger nozzles on hoses for washing down boats to improve water efficiency.
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Using paper-free communications (programme, team sheets, etc) where possible.
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Encouraging the use of public transport
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Providing oil spill kits, fuel collars, no-spill refueling devices and training for support vessels and staff.
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Displaying educational sustainability posters.
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Prohibiting littering at shore facilities, including cigarette butts and chewing gum.
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Providing water stations for attendees to reduce the number of disposed plastic bottles
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Recording energy and water use to reduce these figures for future events.
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Organising a litter pick to collect any litter which may not have been properly disposed of.
Beyond Volvo Cork Week, the Royal Cork Yacht Club is committed to reducing its carbon footprint on an ongoing basis. Steps include gaining the Blue Flag Marina awarded by an Taisce Clean Coasts, reducing water and energy use in buildings, providing reusable cups and compostable single-use straws and cups, educating members and those taking part in sailing courses on marine litter, creating wild green areas on club ground to encourage biodiversity, and working on community environmental initiatives such as Crosshaven Tidy Towns and One Green Village. They also partner with like-minded brands such as Volvo Ireland, which has a very strong focus on sustainability.
Volvo Cork Week 2024 takes place at Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven—the world’s oldest yacht club— with over 120 boats and attracting 8,000 sailors and spectators to the harbour town for a week of thrilling races and maritime festivities.
Volvo Car Ireland is the title sponsor of Volvo Cork Week in association with Johnson & Perrott, with official partners Cork County Council, Port of Cork, Musto, Heineken, Barry & Fitzwilliam, John Paul Construction, Smart Club Solutions, and media partner Cork’s Red FM.
