Yesterday’s Sea Changes Forum at the Monaco Yacht Show was exceptionally well attended, drawing a strong mix of regulators, training providers, senior crew, and industry leaders. The energy in the room reflected both the weight of the topics on the agenda and the Forum’s reputation as a key fixture of the Show. The IHO the perfect venue.

The discussions covered a broad range of issues central to the sector. Regulatory updates of course were of particular interest with Pierre-Luc Lecompte offering key updates, he spoke of “the main evolutions of the judicial framework of yachting in the French Mediterranean in 2025 will focus on mooring and anchoring regulations.”

The RYA addressed updates on training courses and had a key message for those at the bridge “We need to encourage mentoring to explain how to independently verify what electronics are saying. How do we verify position and course using multiple sources of information?”. Over reliance on single sources of information given by electronic devices creates potentially dangerous situations.

The standout moment of the afternoon was the launch of the digital training record.  The announcement was met with clear enthusiasm, marking a significant step forward in how training is tracked and managed. Delegates noted its potential to simplify processes, provide greater transparency, and enhance the overall training experience for crew. John Wyborn explains “Senior Crew have to become instructors. Everyone has to be an educator”. Joey Meen further explained the initiative that is set to shake up how the industry records crew training and career progression “Education has to be at the core – investing in people is not optional, it’s essential.

The Forum closed with a reception overlooking the show and the atmosphere was one of collaboration and shared purpose. Sea Changes once again demonstrated why it remains such an important platform: a space where the industry comes together to exchange knowledge and shape its future.