Greta Thunberg's Boat: What's The Make And Model?

In 2019, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg travelled from Europe to the United States on the elite racing yacht Malizia II. The yacht, owned by Pierre Casiraghi, a member of Monaco's ruling Grimaldi family, had no toilet or shower. Thunberg chose to sail instead of fly to avoid emissions from plane trips, but the journey was not without controversy. Critics pointed out that the yacht was made of hydrocarbons and that the journey triggered several flights for the yacht's crew and Thunberg's team.

Greta Thunberg's reasons for sailing

Greta Thunberg, the Swedish climate activist, has made it known that she will not travel by plane due to the environmental impact of air travel. To attend the UN Climate Action Summit in New York and the COP 25 climate change conference in Santiago, Chile, Thunberg decided to sail across the Atlantic Ocean. She joined the crew of the racing yacht Malizia II, owned by Pierre Casiraghi, a member of Monaco's ruling Grimaldi family. The yacht is an Imoca 60 class yacht, constructed from high-tech carbon fibre composites, and is designed for speed rather than luxury. It is fitted with solar panels and underwater turbines to produce electricity onboard, aiming for a zero-carbon journey. Thunberg acknowledged that the sailing trip would be challenging and uncomfortable but was committed to reducing her carbon footprint and raising awareness about the climate crisis.

Thunberg's decision to sail instead of fly sparked some controversy, with critics arguing that the sailing trip caused more greenhouse gas emissions due to the flights required for the yacht's crew and her handlers. It was also noted that the yacht was made from hydrocarbons and sponsored by the royal family of Monaco, which seemed to contradict her message of protesting against oil and capitalism.

Thunberg's return trip to Europe further fuelled the debate. She travelled on "La Vagabonde," an Outremer 45 Catamaran owned by Australian sailing couple Riley Whitelum and Elayna Carausu. The catamaran weighs 17,400 pounds and is made of fiberglass, or fiber-reinforced plastic, with auxiliary power from twin Volvo diesel engines. The choice of a plastic yacht and the irony of her mode of transport being sponsored by a tax-haven princess were not lost on critics.

Despite the controversy, Thunberg stood by her decision to avoid air travel and continued to raise awareness about the impact of flying on the environment. She encouraged people to consider alternative modes of transportation to reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to the fight against climate change. Thunberg's willingness to endure an uncomfortable and challenging sailing trip demonstrated her commitment to her beliefs and the lengths she was prepared to go to advocate for change.

The Malizia II racing yacht

Malizia II is unique among its class in that it does not have a diesel auxiliary engine. Instead, it generates electricity through solar panels and underwater turbines, aiming for a zero-carbon footprint. However, the yacht's construction and operation are criticised for their environmental impact, particularly the use of petrochemicals and hydrocarbons. The yacht's sponsors, including the Monaco Yacht Club, removed corporate logos to distance themselves from the capitalist image.

Thunberg's decision to travel on Malizia II was driven by her commitment to avoiding air travel and reducing her carbon footprint. She chose sailing over flying to attend the UN Climate Action Summit in New York and the COP 25 climate change conference in Chile. Thunberg acknowledged the potential discomfort of sailing on a racing yacht, but she was willing to endure it to support her cause. The journey was not without controversy, as critics pointed out the irony of a royal family sponsoring her trip and the environmental trade-offs involved.

The Malizia II's crew included Thunberg's father, Svante, and a cameraman, and they were joined by professional sailors Boris Herrmann and Pierre Casiraghi. The yacht's skipper, Herrmann, emphasised the challenging nature of the voyage due to the yacht's focus on speed rather than luxury. Notably, Malizia II lacked showers and toilets, requiring those on board to use a blue bucket. Despite the challenges, Thunberg's journey highlighted her dedication to her environmental values and sparked conversations about sustainable travel.

Greta Thunberg's sailing companions

In 2019, climate activist Greta Thunberg sailed across the Atlantic Ocean twice. On both occasions, she was joined by her father, Svante Thunberg, and a small crew.

First voyage

For her first journey, Thunberg sailed from Plymouth, UK, to New York, US, on the 18-metre (60-foot) racing yacht Malizia II. The boat was skippered by Pierre Casiraghi, the grandson of Monaco's late Prince Rainier III and American actress Grace Kelly, and German yachtsman Boris Herrmann. The crew also included a cameraperson.

Second voyage

For her return journey, Thunberg sailed from Hampton, Virginia, to Lisbon, Portugal, on the catamaran La Vagabonde. She was joined by an Australian couple, Riley Whitelum and Elayna Carausu, their one-year-old son, Lenny, and professional sailor Nikki Henderson.

Greta Thunberg's reasons for sailing

Thunberg chose to sail across the Atlantic to raise awareness of the dangers of rising global emissions and pollution caused by human activity. She refuses to fly because of the carbon emissions of the airline industry.

The journey from Plymouth to New York

Greta Thunberg's journey from Plymouth to New York was aboard the elite racing yacht Malizia II. Thunberg was accompanied by her father, Svante, and a cameraman on the journey. Malizia II is a 60-foot yacht, constructed from high-tech carbon fibre composites, and sponsored by the royal family of Monaco. The yacht is owned by Pierre Casiraghi, a member of Monaco's ruling Grimaldi family, and the youngest grandson of Princess Grace Kelly.

Thunberg's journey was part of her commitment to boycotting air travel to avoid emissions from plane trips. She chose to sail across the Atlantic Ocean to join protests in the United States and take part in the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York. Thunberg was aware of the potential challenges and discomforts of sailing on a racing yacht, which lacks the luxuries of a conventional boat, such as showers and toilets. Instead, those on board had to use a blue bucket. Thunberg acknowledged that she might experience seasickness and discomfort but believed it was a small price to pay to support her cause.

The Malizia II is designed for speed and performance rather than luxury. It is fitted with solar panels and underwater turbines, which produce electricity onboard, enabling a zero-carbon journey. Thunberg's decision to sail across the Atlantic highlights her dedication to reducing her carbon footprint and raising awareness about the climate crisis.

However, it is important to note that the sailing trip triggered at least six additional flights across the Atlantic for the yacht's crew and Thunberg's handlers. This aspect of the journey contradicts the intended environmental benefits of Thunberg's choice to sail instead of fly.

Thunberg's voyage from Plymouth to New York on the Malizia II generated significant attention and sparked debates about the practicality and effectiveness of choosing sailing over air travel to reduce carbon emissions.

The La Vagabonde catamaran

The La Vagabonde is an Outremer 45 Catamaran owned by Australian sailing couple Riley Whitelum and Elayna Carausu. The catamaran weighs 17,400 pounds and is made of fibreglass, or fibre-reinforced plastic. It draws auxiliary power from twin Volvo diesel engines. The yacht costs $757,000, though it appears that Carausu and Whitelum received a substantial discount from Outremer, due to the publicity generated by their celebrity status and that of their guest, Greta Thunberg.

Thunberg, a Swedish climate activist, hitched a ride on La Vagabonde in 2019, when she needed to get from Virginia to Spain for the COP 25 climate conference. Thunberg refuses to fly, to avoid the carbon emissions from air travel. However, her journey on La Vagabonde was not without irony. The catamaran was constructed from petrochemicals and, like all sailing trips, required the crew to fly out and back again, resulting in more emissions than if Thunberg had simply flown herself.

Thunberg's previous journey, from Europe to New York, was also by boat. On that occasion, she travelled on the racing yacht Malizia II, owned by Pierre Casiraghi, a member of Monaco's ruling Grimaldi family.

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