Monaco to Host International Advanced Yachting and Exploration Summit in March 2026

The Principality of Monaco will host a major international Advanced Yachting and Exploration Summit from 21 to 24 March 2026, following the announcement of a new transatlantic partnership between the Yacht Club de Monaco and the The Explorers Club of New York.

The collaboration was officially unveiled during the Yacht Club de Monaco’s end-of-year reception by its President, Prince Albert II, and represents a significant milestone within the collective initiative “Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting.”

As part of the agreement, a delegation of approximately 100 members of The Explorers Club, the prestigious American institution founded in 1904, will travel to Monaco to participate in the four-day Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting Rendezvous. The event aims to bring together yacht owners, captains, scientists, institutions and innovation stakeholders around a shared ambition: positioning yachting as a platform for exploration, scientific research and environmental responsibility.

The international scope of the partnership will extend beyond the Principality. In a symbolic continuation of this alliance, the Yacht Club de Monaco’s flagship Tuiga (1909) and the historic yacht Viola (1908) will take part in the celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence on 4 July 2026, marking a first for Monaco’s 15-Metre International class yachts.

The Monaco programme will open on Saturday, 21 March, with a Yachting Career Fair, the first event entirely dedicated to professions within the yachting industry. Designed as a platform for knowledge transfer and professional discovery, the initiative seeks to raise awareness among younger generations of the wide range of career opportunities offered by the sector.

On Sunday, 22 March, activities will move to Port Hercule for an immersive day centred on exploration. Highlights will include the inauguration of the Explorer Dock, guided visits of explorer yachts, and a friendly regatta aimed at encouraging exchanges between the maritime and exploration communities.

The scientific core of the summit will take place on Monday, 23 March, during the Day of Exploration, focusing on the deep ocean and coral reefs. In collaboration with partners such as the Monaco Scientific Centre and Coral Gardeners, and with the participation of renowned explorer Victor Vescovo, the programme will showcase concrete examples of how yachting can actively contribute to scientific research.

The event will conclude on Tuesday, 24 March, with the 30th edition of the Captains’ Forum, dedicated to operational solutions that can be implemented directly onboard. Workshops will place particular emphasis on the SEA Index®, the Yacht Club de Monaco’s reference tool for measuring and reducing the environmental footprint of superyachts.

The closing highlight will be the presentation of the 6th YCM Explorer Awards by La Belle Classe Superyachts. Chaired by the President of The Explorers Club, the jury will honour exemplary projects demonstrating alternative uses of yachts as platforms for exploration, innovation, research and knowledge sharing.

Through this initiative, the Yacht Club de Monaco and The Explorers Club reaffirm a shared vision of yachting in which technological progress is inseparable from scientific ambition and environmental commitment.