"In the pandemic, everything came to a halt. At that moment, I began to become aware of many things, such as climate change: a task that we all have pending." With these thoughts, Nicolás Romero, CEO of the tourist animation company Mallorcaventura, contemplated how to contribute his part.
He replaced his 1964 vessel, which had been in operation since 2018, with an emissions-free catamaran named Blue Circle. This summer, it will float on the waters of the Balearic Islands, becoming the first 100% sustainable tourist boat, as such a design has never been seen before in Mallorca. The project is a collaboration with the Mallorcan company Trueworld, responsible for refurbishing the boat using neutralized fiber and recycled materials.
"The creation of the boat has been challenging because, as a company in the nautical sector, our capabilities have limitations. That's why we partnered with Trueworld," explains Nicolás Romero about the project, scheduled for completion in May. The catamaran, measuring 15 meters in length and six meters in width, has less capacity than Nicolás' previous vessel, which could accommodate up to 100 tourists.
"The idea of accommodating fewer people is because we want to focus not so much on mass tourism but on quality," he explains. One of the novelties is that the boat will serve as a marine observatory. Sensors will collect data on posidonia, water oxygen levels, and temperature, all of which will be included in a database for Trueworld to analyze in real time.
Budget-wise, the company has invested close to one million euros in creating the first 100% sustainable boat. As Romero clarifies, "It is much more expensive than a conventional boat. We know that being pioneers in this carries risks, as we almost pay double for it. We estimate that the production of such boats will cost 40% less in ten years." Specifically, the batteries cost around 150,000 euros and will have a four-hour autonomy. "No entrepreneur in the Balearic Islands would invest 20 years of fossil fuels all at once to pay for these batteries. But it is important to care for the environment," he emphasizes. In response, he considers that "projects like this should receive some form of subsidy from European funds, but the reality is that they are not included."
"In the pandemic, everything came to a halt. At that moment, I began to become aware of many things, such as climate change: a …