Sustainability the new marine global buzz word - MarineBusinessWorld Oceania newsletter
by Peter Rendle 11 May 2023 15:00 PDT
BIA Apprentice of the Year Award 2022 Winner, Stefanie Mannering, apprentice at Cruise Craft Boats © BIA
The Boating Industry Association Ltd (BIA) recently launched a Sustainability in the Boating Industry Award, as well as a call for nominations for the BIA Apprentice of the Year Awards for 2023.
The Sustainability Award was launched in line with the BIA's Strategic Business Plan, which has a vision of a vibrant industry supporting boating as a standout choice in leisure activity for everyone; and values sustainability through the promotion of environmentally responsible practices within the boating industry. The award recognises companies or individuals who have demonstrated outstanding efforts in contributing towards sustainable business practices and/or supporting the sustainability of boating.
Nominations are now open for the award, and the winner will be announced at the Sydney International Boat Show in August. Nominees will be assessed on their achievements in reducing environmental impacts through actions such as use of sustainable materials and manufacturing processes, contributing to emissions reduction, and/or implementing sustainable business practices.
In the USA, Volvo Penta is teaming up with the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) to demonstrate the power of renewable fuels in marine vessels at the American Boating Congress (ABC) in Washington D.C. and featured a boat using renewable diesel, or HV0100 (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil), a renewable, paraffinic fuel made from vegetable or animal sources that is free from fossil fuels and can reduce carbon emissions by up to 90%. The event took place on May 9th, and follows a successful demo earlier in the year at Miami International Boat Show.
"There is no one-size-fits-all approach to minimizing carbon emissions in the recreational marine industry. The future will require a mix of technologies such as electrification, hybrid-electric, advanced hull design and efficiency improvements, as well as sustainability initiatives," said Jeff Wasil, director of environment, health, safety and compliance for NMMA. "Sustainable fuels like the ones demonstrated at ABC are drop-in, ready solutions that boaters can use now to reduce their environmental footprint, while still maintaining the range and performance they expect."
And a form of sustainability is the investment in future industry employment. Marine Jobs has announced the Cairns Maritime Careers Open Day, which will take place on May 13th between 9am and 1pm from TAFE Queensland's Great Barrier Reef International Marine College on Tingira Street, Portsmith. The event will host over 30 businesses from the marine/reef tourism and manufacturing industries, as well as the defence, supply chain and sustainment, commercial shipping, and superyacht sectors.
Every 30 minutes visitors can take guided tours through Austal, Norship, and Tropical Reef Shipyard as personalised information is provided to attendees through live activations and career information sessions.
Recognising the need to reward staff, Australia's leading aluminium boat brand, Quintrex, invests in partnering with the country's top marine dealerships to not only champion the brand but continue delivering an utmost customer journey at all levels of the boating experience, from purchase, right through to the famed Quintrex on-water experience.
Whilst equipped with 60 of the top dealerships nation-wide, carefully chosen for their alignment with the Quintrex promise of innovation and boating made easy, the bi-annual Dealer of the Year Awards represents outstanding performance across all facets of business; from utmost customer feedback, to the presentation of showroom floors, alignment with business values and service to their region.
People in the news this week include Gavin Ward. After more than four decades of sailing and 2,000 races Gavin Ward could be forgiven for scaling back his boating endeavours - but the opposite is true. Ward is re-joining well-known brand Windcraft Yachts as the Sales Manager for Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia.
It's effectively a labour of love for the long-time sailor and boat owner who bought his first boat, a Hood 23, back in the mid 1980s in a pre-destined moment, as the broker was Ric Hawkins, now Windcraft's Manager for the southern states and Tasmania. For Ward, who was previously working in the marine sector in Queensland but also has a long and impressive corporate resume, the opportunity to share his extensive knowledge and experience about boating was a key reason for his decision.
New Zealand company Propspeed have announced the promotion of Marcus Hamilton from the International Sales Director to the position of CEO. In his new role he will be responsible for directing all operations for the company and driving its growth and success. "I am proud to have worked with the sales team and our partners to expand Propspeed's presence worldwide as the leader in protecting underwater assets," said Hamilton.
"Propspeed's success has been a result of the high-quality, talented and motivated employees we have, the industry leading products we sell, the partners with whom we have built this business and the passion of our customers and brand. As the new CEO, I am confident that we will not only continue our momentum into the future but build on our already strong 24-year foundation. I am honoured to be selected by the board of directors to lead this incredible team."
In SE Asia, the four-day Singapore Yachting Festival came to a close on April 30th, with 9,250 visitors, 52 yachts and 72 businesses participating in the event. The Festival, which took place at the ONE degrees15 Marina Sentosa Cove, was a huge success, with a solid display of yachts, and plenty of activities on the water for all generations. The Singapore Yachting Festival brought together the region's top yachting industry, showcasing the latest boats, equipment, and services. The event provided an opportunity for visitors to browse, compare, and purchase the latest yachts and equipment, while also enjoying the festivities on the water.
Further North, China's first Excess 11, handled by Excess's dealer in mainland China, Vastar Yachts, safely arrived on Hainan island in late April after shipping from Excess's factory in Vendée, France and having a stopover at Hong Kong. The setup, tuning and boat preparation took place in Hong Kong with the support of Excess APAC Team.
The delivery team from Vastar Yachts departed from Hong Kong on April 24th and arrived at Clearwater Bay Marina in Hainan after nearly 60 hours of non-stop sailing at 8 knots in average, ranging over 400 nautical miles with a swell of 1.5 to 3 meters.
In New Zealand, the New Zealand Marina Operators Association is hosting two Open Forums at Westhaven Marina on May 17-18th, with a dinner on the 17th at Baduzzi Restaurant, North Wharf. The turnout is already fantastic, with more than 60 of you taking part from all over the country. Registrations close at 5pm on May 11th.
Stay safe,
Peter Rendle - peter.rendle@marinebusinessworld.com