Tuesday 16 April saw the kick off meeting for the European Boating Industry Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) take place in Amsterdam, where Industry representatives from across Europe met both in person and online to discuss the project, its objectives and its timelines. 

The Project which is being industry funded by Yards and Stakeholders internationally, aims to create the framework for a Product Environmental Footprint Category Lifecycle Assessment Rules for recreational craft less than 24m length to support the industries objectives to become a more sustainable sector. Yards which are contributing to the project include Sanlorenzo, Ferretti, Azimut- Benetti, Beneteau, Bavaria, Sunseeker and Sunreef. 

The project will be conducted in two phases, first focusing on developing a science-based and transparent environmental footprint standard to harmonise calculation rules. In the second phase, the focus will be on implementing this with a comprehensive materials database and user-friendly calculation tool. This then allows manufacturers to conduct eco-design and comprehensively reduce environmental impact, as well as communicate the environmental footprint to consumers, stakeholders and regulators. It will go beyond carbon emissions and include other critical environmental indicators. 

This common effort will also allow industry to comply with the latest EU environmental legislation and be ahead of the regulatory curve. The project has already been presented to the EU Commission and received its strong support.

The Project Steering Group is made up of Stakeholders, Yards and National Marine Industry Associations with British Marine representing the UK marine industry ensuring that its members and their considerations are fairly represented within the project's development. 

British Marine would like to ask BM members which are interested in supporting this project with Information and Data to contact technical@britishmarine.co.uk and become UK MIA group members. This member focus group will then support the attendance of British Marine within the workshops, inputting data, information and opinion into the frameworks development. 

Companies asked to support strategic environmental planning.