Putting the Sustainability in Seafarer: What We Do and What’s Next
Sustainability · Responsible travel
The bays, harbours and islands we sail are the reason so many guests come back to us year after year. Looking after them is part of our job as a tour operator, and we have been working on it across our yachts, bases and beach clubs for many years.
Here is what we already do, on the water and ashore, what we are working on next, and the simple things you can do to help on your own flotilla holiday.
In short
We encourage everyone to sail rather than motor. Electric outboards have been an option at all our flotilla destinations since 2024, and we are replacing the petrol outboards on the yachts we control directly. Our yachts carry reusable shopping bags, water filters and a net for floating plastic, we recycle old sails, anchor chain and engine oil, and we work with Sustainable Sailing Greece to protect seagrass when anchoring. Ashore, we use local suppliers wherever we can and support local clean-ups and conservation.
2024
electric outboards became an option at every flotilla destination
3 years
to switch our own yachts from petrol to electric outboards
1 net
on board our yachts to scoop up floating plastic
On this page
On the water
Sailing more, motoring less
A sailing yacht is powered mainly by the wind, so the simplest way to cut fuel use is to sail whenever there is a breeze. Since 2019 our flotillas have run a weekly competition, with a prize for the crew who use their engine the least. It cuts the diesel our yachts burn each week, and it is a good excuse to turn the engine off and enjoy the quiet.
Electric outboards for the dinghy
Electric outboards have been available as an option at all our flotilla destinations since 2024, and our training yachts already use them. They are quieter and cleaner than petrol outboards, with no fuel to carry and simple controls, which makes them easy to use on a flotilla.
We are now replacing the petrol outboards on the yachts we control directly, and aim to complete the switch within the next three years. Until then, you can add an electric outboard to your booking: you will find it in the extras on each flotilla page.
At anchor
Anchoring without harming seagrass
Many of the bays we visit have no mooring buoys, so anchoring is part of almost every flotilla week. In the Mediterranean, the habitat most at risk is Posidonia seagrass: underwater meadows that shelter fish, keep the seabed stable and store large amounts of carbon. An anchor dropped or dragged through a meadow can tear up years of growth in seconds.
Our lead crews and skippers anchor on sand away from seagrass, use mooring buoys where they exist, and show guests how to do the same. We work with Sustainable Sailing Greece on anchoring guidance, and made a safe anchoring video with them on one of our yachts with our RYA instructors. You can watch it in our guide to eco friendly sailing holidays, and read the full story in Seafarer’s fight to save seagrass.
On board
Less plastic, less waste
Small island communities often struggle to deal with plastic waste, so we try to stop it being created in the first place, and recycle what we can.
- Reusable shopping bags on our flotilla yachts, some of them made from our own old sails.
- Water filters, so you need far less bottled water.
- A net on board, so you can scoop up any floating plastic you come across.
- Advice from our crews on eco-friendly soaps and detergents, using holding tanks, saving water and getting rid of rubbish responsibly.
- Information about your yacht provided digitally, by QR code or app, instead of on paper.
- Old sails, anchor chain and used engine oil recycled, and reusable parts reconditioned wherever it makes sense.
Cleaner seas
Beach and harbour clean-ups
Our crews and guests regularly take part in beach and harbour clean-ups across our destinations, concentrating on bays where the local winds and currents wash up rubbish. We always aim to leave the beaches we use for flotilla beach parties cleaner than we found them.
One of the biggest was a clean-up of the seabed in Syvota harbour on Lefkas. Our flotilla crew and RYA instructors, all qualified divers, led it together with the local Odyssey Dive Club, and guests joined in too. The haul included tyres and old batteries as well as plenty of plastic.
If a clean-up is planned during your week, your lead crew will let you know, and you are very welcome to join in.
Ashore
Our beach clubs and local communities
We source as much as we can locally, from suppliers and materials to food. It supports the communities we work in and saves on transport miles. We also support local events and conservation projects, and our crews share the history and culture of each area with our guests.
At Nikiana Beach Club
At Nikiana Beach Club on Lefkas, a filtered water cooler means you can refill your own bottle instead of buying bottled water. Guest bedrooms use a key card system to save electricity, and the taverna buys many of its ingredients locally and offers a good choice of vegetarian dishes.
Getting there
For most of us, the flights to and from resort are the biggest part of a holiday’s carbon footprint. Where there is a good rail link, the train is worth considering: for our Corinth and Saronic flotilla, you can take the train from Athens airport to Corinth or Kiato. See our guide to getting to our bases by train.
What’s next
What we are working on next
We know there is always more to do. These are the areas we are concentrating on now.
Electric outboards
Completing the switch from petrol to electric on the yachts we control directly, within the next three years.
Less single-use plastic
Cutting it further across our fleet, starting with drinking water on board.
Seagrass-safe anchoring
Continuing our work with Sustainable Sailing Greece, and sharing anchoring guidance with every crew.
Cleaner energy ashore
Looking at how solar power could work at Nikiana Beach Club.
Your part
How you can help on holiday
None of these takes much effort, and together they make a real difference to the places you visit.
Under way
- Sail whenever there is wind, and save the engine for harbours and calms
- Add an electric outboard for the dinghy
On board
- Bring a reusable water bottle
- Use the reusable shopping bags on board
- Choose eco-friendly soap and washing-up liquid
In the water
- Anchor on sand, never on seagrass
- Choose reef-safe sun cream
- Scoop up floating plastic and take rubbish ashore
Our guide to eco friendly sailing holidays has more tips, including where to sail for a greener holiday.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Can I have an electric outboard on my flotilla holiday?
Yes. Electric outboards have been an option at all our flotilla destinations since 2024. You can add one when you book, and the price is listed in the extras on each flotilla page. We are also replacing the petrol outboards on the yachts we control directly.
How do I anchor without damaging seagrass?
Look for pale sand and avoid the dark patches, which are usually seagrass. Use a mooring buoy where there is one, and let out enough chain so the anchor holds first time instead of dragging. Your lead crew can point out the best spots in each bay.
Can I join a beach or harbour clean-up?
Yes, guests are welcome to join the clean-ups our crews organise. If one is planned during your week, your lead crew will let you know.
Do I need to bring shopping bags and bottled water?
No. Our flotilla yachts have reusable shopping bags and water filters on board, so just bring a reusable water bottle.
Sail more lightly
Plan a greener sailing holiday
Tell us your dates and crew, and we’ll help you choose the right flotilla, charter or beach club holiday, with an electric outboard for your dinghy.
Call or email us
Monday to Friday 09:00 to 19:00 · Saturday 09:30 to 17:00
Book with confidence. Seafarer has run sailing holidays since 1995, and every payment you make to us is financially protected: ATOL licence 9511 for holidays with flights, ABTOT member 5660 for holidays without.
