Dear readers,

Nowadays, climate action on sailing boats is all too often dismissed as activism or greenwashing. In recent years, there have been several sailing expeditions undertaken in the name of environmental protection. Whether it’s Greta Thunberg’s Atlantic crossing on the ‘Malizia II’ or the Deutsche Umwelthilfe’s protest tour with Luisa Neubauer on board the ‘Malizia Explorer’ in June 2026 – yachts are increasingly being used as political platforms. The images of protests outside the ‘Mittelplate’ oil platform or in the Wadden Sea generate maximum exposure for environmental issues, but often meet with resistance at the jetties.

Greenwashing under the guise of climate action

Criticism is regularly voiced, particularly in the comments sections on social media: “Personally, even with the best will in the world, I cannot see any connection between climate protection and high-end offshore racing.” Elsewhere, it is stated: “It’s a shame that the reporting gets carried away with political propaganda. The added value in terms of sailing-related content is absolutely zero.” To many observers, these projects are clearly hypocritical. Here, high-profile figures are sailing under a green flag, whilst in the background a vast logistical machine is at work, complete with return flights for the entire crew. If one looks at the raw carbon footprint of these voyages, the bottom line is negative. All those involved gain attention under the guise of climate protection and sailing, whilst, from the critics’ point of view, the cause itself is not being helped at its core.

More than just PR

The arguments put forward by the opposing side are clear. In my view, anyone who limits themselves to this aspect alone is not thinking far enough ahead. The voyages of the ‘Malizia Explorer’, in particular, are by no means mere PR stunts. The vessel essentially serves as a floating laboratory and, as a small expedition platform, reaches regions that the large, traditional research vessels can scarcely access.

• ‘Malizia Explorer’: Life on board Boris Herrmann’s research vessel

Data from these remote marine areas is extremely scarce. Although the volume of data collected may be small compared with that of the major research institutes, the insights gained can be extremely valuable for climate and marine research. This has also been confirmed by Dr Michael Naumann of the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research in Warnemünde, amongst others. As part of a project, the researchers are collaborating with fishermen and sailors to gather data from the shallow regions of the Baltic Sea that are difficult for research vessels to reach.

When Luisa Neubauer uses the platform of a sailing expedition, she carries out traditional educational work on board and shares fact-based stories about the environmental state of Antarctica or life at sea. This enables her to reach an audience that would otherwise remain out of reach without such initiatives. The potential positive impact on people’s understanding of climate change therefore justifies the environmental footprint. Although, as noted, the environmental footprint of these expeditions is negative, the overarching goal carries greater weight.

Sailing is also benefiting

Even quite apart from politics and science, these voyages involve considerable sailing feats. It is very demanding to sail in such waters for over a month. The fascination of travelling through such a hostile landscape in a climate-neutral way is ultimately reflected in the coverage of the expedition voyages.

Sailing can therefore also benefit from this attention. It is a sustainable alternative for getting about or travelling on the water, particularly when the longevity of sailing boats is taken into account. This presents an opportunity for people who would otherwise have no connection to sailing to be introduced to this way of travelling.

So if we succeed in raising awareness of environmental protection among the general public and politicians through sailing campaigns, we can achieve a major impact with a comparatively small-scale initiative. The Fridays for Future movement, which grew out of Greta Thunberg’s school strike, recently demonstrated that this can work. A small pebble can quickly set off a huge avalanche. Anyone who instinctively accuses this of being hypocritical is simply not thinking far enough ahead and, in my opinion, has simply failed to understand the overarching aim of these sailing trips.

David Ingelfinger

YACHT Trainee

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