Environmental Actions

HORC is charting the environmental map of offshore sailing races, based on AEGEAN 600 Yacht Race.

The Hellenic Offshore Racing Club (HORC) is charting the environmental map of offshore sailing races, based on the AEGEAN 600 Yacht Race.

For years, HORC has demonstrated a strong commitment to protecting the marine environment by completing a series of environmental initiatives alongside its racing activities. With the creation of the AEGEAN 600, HORC continues to enhance its environmental efforts, believing that this international event will promote Greece globally while raising awareness about pollution prevention, safety at sea, and environmental responsibility.

As part of this commitment, HORC will implement a series of environmental actions and educational seminars targeted at participants, volunteers, and event staff. These sessions aim to inform and empower those involved with the knowledge and practices needed to help safeguard the marine environment during and beyond the race.

The AEGEAN 600 will take place from July 10 to July 16, with no stops, covering turning points around iconic islands such as Milos, Santorini, Kasos, Karpathos, Rhodes, Kos, Kalymnos, Patmos, Mykonos, Yaros, and Kea. The race will start and finish at Cape Sounion.

The planned environmental actions will be centered around Olympic Marine in Lavrion — the organizational hub for the event. Yachts, crews, and support teams will be hosted in the greater Lavrion area, where the environmental initiatives and seminars will be conducted, aiming to inspire ongoing environmental stewardship among the sailing community.

As part of our environmental program, we have adopted the AEGEAN GULL.

ACTIONS

 

A. Incentives for the participants

  • Drink water from metal flasks that you can fill from the water coolers available at the marina
  • The canteen within the event area sell coffee and soft drinks in special biodegradable cups, with straws that are also biodegradable
  • Do not waste water
  • Recycle whatever you have on hand or on the boat that can be recycled, such as aluminum soft drink cans, plastic water bottles, plastic packaging, paper packaging, glass bottles, suntan lotion bottles, etc.
  • Only use the special recycling bins at the organization area for waste, after you have separated it appropriately (plastic, paper, glass, undifferentiated waste)
  • The organizers can help you collect your recyclable waste
  • Car pool to and from Athens
  • Return any food containers provided by our official supporter “Palirria” for recycling
  • For your trash, use the biodegradable bags provided by the organizers instead of plain garbage bags
  • The organizers aim to use the least paper possible, so almost all announcements and instructions will be distributed electronically
  • Use the restrooms at the installation rather than the ones on your boats
  • Empty the holding tanks or whatever dirty water you have into the special tanks provided by the marina
  • NEVER THROW ANYTHING FROM YOUR BOAT INTO THE SEA!!!

B. Information

  • For users of safety ribs and television crews, to ensure that they drive so that their engines use the least amount of fuel possible
  • There will be a seminar open to all organization volunteers and employees on how to correctly recycle any recyclable materials and avoid using plastic materials inside the event venue
  • There will be a seminar for volunteers who will be in charge of informing participants about the environmental protection measures designed by the organizers
  • Signs will be put up for visitors, with information about the environmental actions required for the organization

C. Mandatory actions for organization volunteers and employees

  • Do not use disposable straws
  • Do not use disposable cups
  • Do not use anything made of plastic, such as envelopes, plastic wrap, food containers, etc.
  • Do not use plastic name cards. Use paper ones instead
  • Do not use plastic water bottles
  • Drink water ONLY from special biodegradable cups or the metal flasks that are filled from the water coolers
  • Do not make needless trips from Athens to Sounion and back
  • Use the organization’s transport vehicles
  • DO NOT move needlessly to and from the venue
  • The press office does not use paper, whether for notes or press releases. Everything is distributed electronically and can be found on the organizers’ website (applications for participation, crew lists, sailing guidelines, etc.)
  • The Race Committee does not use paper and only soft copies of the required event “documentation” will be available
  • All dining materials, such as glasses, bowls, forks and waste bags will be made of paper or be biodegradable
  • Television and photographic crews will be required to follow the guidelines regarding non-use of plastic when visiting other islands for race monitoring purposes
  • During race starts and finishes, or while observing the boats for television or photography purposes, support teams at sea must have aluminum flasks for water, not plastic bottles
  • The organizers will place water coolers in specific locations so that the volunteers, employees and crews can fill their flasks
  • Electric cars and scooters will be available at the installation for committee members and volunteers to use
  • Efforts will be made to use biodegradable or recyclable materials, at least for food and drinks, at the opening, closing and other events and field trips
  • Special biodegradable bags will be provided by the organizers for trash disposal