The Japan Marina & Beach Association (JMBA) has signed agreements with the Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM) and the Superyacht Eco Association (SEA Index) to strengthen cooperation in marina management, sustainability efforts and superyacht operations. The agreement was signed on 15 April 2026 at the Yacht Club de Monaco during the 20th anniversary year of diplomatic relations between Monaco and Japan.
SEA Index was established by the Yacht Club de Monaco and Credit Suisse, now part of the UBS Group. The framework was created to measure the environmental impact of yachts through independent standards covering CO₂ emissions, air quality and underwater radiated noise. It currently works with marinas and ports in Monaco, France, Italy, the Caribbean and the Seychelles.
With JMBA joining the network, SEA Index has established its first institutional presence in the Asia-Pacific region. The Japanese association represents 87 marinas across the country, raising SEA Index’s international network to more than 100 marinas and ports.
Discussions between the organisations began in 2025 after a JMBA delegation visited YCM and recognised shared goals in sustainability and marina operations with SEA Index.
Bernard d’Alessandri, president of SEA Index and secretary general of the Yacht Club de Monaco, said: “Anchored within our collective initiative ‘Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting’, SEA Index was conceived as a practical tool to bring clarity and credibility to environmental performance in yachting. Welcoming the Japan Marina & Beach Association into our network confirms that this approach resonates far beyond Monaco and the Mediterranean. What matters is not where a yacht sails, but how responsibly it does so. This partnership demonstrates that shared metrics can unite very different maritime cultures around the same objective: measurable progress.”
Under the agreement, JMBA will promote SEA Index certification across its marina network through awareness programmes, official emblems and sustainability-focused initiatives within participating marinas.
Kiichiro Kumazawa, president of KMC Corporation and president of the Japan Marina & Beach Association, said: “Until now, Japanese marinas and yachting culture have developed primarily as places to enjoy the sea. Today, however, we are being called upon to move to the next stage – one that asks how we can coexist with the sea. The clear and internationally shareable benchmarks presented by the SEA Index are an essential tool that moves environmental consideration beyond philosophy and into practical action.”
JMBA said Japan’s marine industry is facing challenges, including an ageing boat-owning population, lower interest in marine activities among younger people and slower marina use across the country.
The association plans to introduce yacht club culture, sustainability-focused marine activities and marina management approaches from Europe and the United States into Japanese marinas. The agreement also allows the organisations to share knowledge on accommodating and managing luxury yachts and superyachts in Japan.
Kumazawa added: “This partnership stands as proof that two distinct maritime cultures, Japan and Monaco, have come together through shared values and measurable standards. I believe it represents a major step forward in the evolution of sustainable marina management and boating culture in Japan. Going forward, we are committed to embedding the principles of the SEA Index into on-site practices across Japan and to fostering a marine environment and yachting culture that future generations can be proud of.”
