The level of commitment and dedication to ocean stewardship was very impressive and we were also inspired by the creativity employed in finding ways to increase awareness and engagement.
About the boating industry
The boating industry, represented in Europe by European Boating Industry (EBI), is a large international community comprising marinas and yards, national associations, equipment manufacturers charter companies, navigational services, boat shows and more. Creating employment for around 280,000 people and with some six million recreational-use boats in Europe, boating is a significant contributor to the blue economy.
The boating community however faces multiple challenges from assessing how to decarbonise and introducing circularity to the boat life cycle, to improving accessibility and inclusivity. Another key topic includes improving methods of assessing and reducing impacts. Many exciting projects are underway but there is a still a long journey ahead of us.
This is why we are keen to add the voices of students and young professionals as necessary stakeholders to us help us safeguard the well-being of our ocean.
About boaters
It is fair to say that experienced sailors tend to be highly responsible in terms of protecting their natural environment as indeed a good number of boaters would claim to be happier at sea than on land! The joys of observing marine biodiversity; swimming and diving within healthy ecosystems and simply appreciating the pleasures of the natural environment are paramount. It is known that being in “blue spaces” improves mental health. This said, marinas still have a strategic role to play in terms of educating residents and visitors in matters of ocean literacy, the characteristics and vulnerabilities of local ecosystems and steps that can be taken in terms of responsible behaviour.
Many marinas opt to attain environmental certification, such as “clean marina” accreditation, the Blue Flag or others. This obliges them to improve management strategies to protect their site and natural surroundings from contamination; reduce water and energy use and contribute proactively to ocean conservation. Engagement can still be a challenge however and so help in this endeavour would be very welcome.
Calling all ocean literacy collaborators!
We would like to explore how marinas and the boating industry can better interact with students and younger professionals to develop a more informed perspective in identifying how and in what ways the industry can better serve the wider community.
This would involve ensuring that our facilities and the greater industry are welcoming, inclusive and accessible; improving ocean literacy capacitation for marina teams, residents and visitors and achieving a greater sense of responsibility for ocean stewardship amongst boaters.
We would also be very interested in learning from the myriad of inspiring activities being run by ocean advocates and promoting these to the boating community.
Further to this, we would like to understand how to offer better trainee, internship, or skills development programmes as means of improving generational renewal in the industry. The nautical sphere is a truly marvellous place to work, with a great number of different types of employment available – all related to safely enjoying nearby navigable waters. Creating a diverse, stimulating and environmentally-aware workplace is a necessity.
So, we want to know about your interests, your concerns and how marinas and the boating industry can help elevate your achievements. Essentially, we would like to work with students and young ocean advocates to further the protection and awareness of our oceans.
To get in touch with us, please write to info
transeuropemarinas [dot] com (info[at]transeuropemarinas[dot]com) or officeeuropeanboatingindustry [dot] eu (office[at]europeanboatingindustry[dot]eu)
For further information, please consults the following resources:
Sustainability guide for marinas