Big thank you to Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce for the opportunity to engage with the University of Kent in the Net Zero Pathway to Change project.
#KentInvictaChamber #netzero #innovation #UniversityofKent
Author: admin
Exciting times
We are pleased to announce the appointment of David Grocott in the position of Non-Executive Director, David brings over 25 years of business experience to the sustainable start-up.
David began his career in the technology and telecommunication industries, working in various positions for BT and Deutsche Bank.
During the recent lockdown, David completed the Financial Times Non-Executive Director programme. He hopes to utilise the new knowledge gained in this programme as well as his rich history of experience, to support the DVS in achieving their mission.
David has a keen interest in charitable pursuits, a factor that played a key role in his uptake of this new position. David has also acted as Chair and Director of a Residents Management Company (not for profit) on a large London Docklands housing development for many years.
David’s new role as non-executive director will see him providing governance to the company overall. Moreover, David will also explore possible funding streams for the company.
The Duke Voyagers Shipyard is based at The University of East London’s Dockland Campus. It was here, that David met the Director of the DVS, Tony Duke. It was a mutual interest in sailing that connected the pair and they soon found common ground on net zero challenges for the maritime industry.
” I’ve always been interested in improving the way things are built or operated and in how we can reduce our impact on the planet and live more sustainably. It concerns me that many green technologies are not as green as they first seem! We can do better!”
The Duke Voyagers Shipyard is currently developing a carbon neutral ocean sailing yacht utilising the latest developments in hull composites, manufacturing processes and sustainable power generation.
The start-up has thoroughly considered all aspects of Environmental and Social Governance, ensuring that their execution will be transparent and rigorous. It was the genuine ecological mission of the DVS, that encouraged David to join the company.
On visions for the future David commented:
“It is our vision at the DVS that the company will provide benefits to the wider community in terms of training, apprenticeships and employment by providing pathways to increase access in to blue skills for the maritime sector.”
For more information about David Crocott (click here)
Net Zero 50 List – House of Lords reception
With a vision to use sustainable materials and innovations within the yacht building industry to make the future greener and carbon neutral. The Duke Voyager’s Shipyard, a sustainable start-up working in collaboration with the University of Kent to transform the yacht building industry was nominated in the Net Zero 50 List.
The University of Kent became involved in the project earlier this year after Tony Duke attended a net zero workshop organised by the University and funded by the Government’s Community Renewal Fund as part of a wider programme in partnership with the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce
The reception was hosted by Lord Jim Knight who welcomed nominees to the House of Lords and outlined the challenges faced in reaching our climate goals.
Dr Mattie Yeta, freshly returned from COP27 provided insight into current global efforts and the potential for sustainable growth across sectors.
Prof Adam Beaumont (Eden Project) presented the People’s Choice Award to the UK Schools Sustainability Network, winner of the online vote from the Net Zero 50 list with over 5000 votes.
Dr Robert Barker, a Lecturer in Chemistry and Forensic Science at the University, is working with the Shipyard to explore sustainable alternatives to traditional yacht components and systems and manufacturing processes. This will include identifying suitable manufacturing sites and partners to ensure the yacht lifecycle -from production and operation to disposal- amounts to net zero carbon emissions.
Tony Duke said, “Working with Rob and his PhD student Alix Blissett has really pushed forward our green vision. The specialist knowledge and expertise available through the University’s Innovation programme will keep us on track to start the yacht build in 2023.”
The Net Zero Deep Dive Training Programme consisted of a series of workshops led by experts within the University of Kent, designed to change hearts and minds on what does ‘net-zero’ mean and what are the challenges – from technological, to moral, to achieving it. Qualifying businesses who attended the workshops were able to apply for up to £5,000 to continue to work with Kent academics to meet their net zero goals.
#greenyacht #netzero #sustainablesailing #netzerosailing #netzeroyacht #zerocarbonyacth #zercarbonsailing #greensailng
Learning Curve
Any new venture should always begin with a deep and thorough dive into research – if only to establish the right questions to ask.
I began with ‘The Elements of Boat Strength‘ by Dave Gerr, which introduced me to scantling rules and provided a detailed comparison between steel, aluminium, wood epoxy and glass fibre for hull and deck construction. I did have some experience with glass fibre from my work in automotive restoration and knew that its strength and durability had transformed the boating industry making it possible to mass produce hull, deck and other components.
This led to my first question.
“Could we build a yacht’s hull and deck out of natural fibre composite, as a low carbon alternative to glass fibre construction?”
To begin answering this question, my son and I headed down to Plymouth university for the Green Tech Boat Show.
Here we spoke with like-minded academics and pioneering businesses which reinforced my belief that a carbon neutral, luxury sailing yacht could contribute to a greener future for the marine sector.
Having a background in digital technology, I quickly reverted to type and started trawling the net finding a plethora of information and software solutions from naval architecture to innovations in bio polymer fibre and smart resins.
The next challenge was to find the perfect yacht design. Following weeks of research, I decided to go with a proven design as my starting point: the New York 65, designed by Bruce Roberts.
This design has a history of ocean voyages covering thousands of miles including the Northwest Passage from the North Atlantic, north of Canada’s Baffin Island, in the east to the Beaufort Sea, north of the U.S. state of Alaska, in the west.
Designed in 1993, this is a 30 year old design but with a low carbon composite hull, solar power, electric engine and stunning interior design it will become a lean, green 65’ luxury sailing yacht, the MollyD.
An invitation via Medway Growth Hub led me to Net Zero workshops delivered by Dr Robert Barker and Chloe Skingle at the University of Kent.
The workshops were exactly what I needed to define the challenges.
1. Source low carbon alternatives to fibreglass as the main composite for hull and deck construction.
2. Explore sustainable energy sources for manufacturing process.
3. Design vacuum infusion delivery system to minimise material waste.
4. Identify suitable manufacturing site locations to minimise transportation to launch site.
Following the workshops I had the tools to develop a Life Cycle Assessment.
Having gained a grant from the Community Renewal Fund to collaborate with the University of Kent the work now starts to overcome the challenges and decarbonise the yacht manufacturing process from beginning to end of use.
Closing the circle
What began at my mum’s cremation quickly turned in to the adventure of a life time.
My mother died in early 2020 at the ripe old age of 94, I inherited her ashes and a dream to take them to my grandfather’s homeland in Africa.
My son said we should sail there and so was born the ‘MollyD’ an idea to build a yacht and sail to Africa. Obviously if the yacht is named in honour of my mum it’s going to be the best it can and help some people on the way.
The MollyD can’t be too small or too big and she can’t be polluting the planet. She has to be sleek yet modest on the outside with a silent and powerful heart to support her wind filled sails.
The MollyD a lean green sailing machine.
