As boaters, we know that protecting our lifestyle means protecting our shared waters. That’s why, for the past 20 years, we’ve worked together as an industry to reduce U.S. recreational boating emissions by more than 90% and to increase fuel efficiency by more than 40%.
While this progress deserves to be celebrated, our work to improve our marine environment is never over. Technology continues to improve, and we have a responsibility to find new and better solutions to further reduce emissions.
The global recreational marine industry unveiled the International Council of Marine Industry Association’s Pathways to Decarbonization report and Propelling Our Future educational campaign at Metstrade in November. By considering the life cycle of greenhouse gas emissions in various technologies, we set out to understand which propulsion technologies are best positioned to further decarbonize the boating industry.
While the research showed that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, sustainable marine fuels have the most immediate, widespread potential to decarbonize the global fleet of recreational boats on the water today. This is true for two major reasons.
First, sustainable marine fuel can reduce emissions by as much as 90% without sacrificing range or performance. Second, sustainable marine fuels can be “dropped in” to existing powerboats without modifications to the current fuel systems, saving the carbon emissions that come with creating new boats or parts, and minimizing boaters’ efforts to adopt them.
The challenge with this solution is that sustainable marine fuels aren’t yet readily available for today’s boaters. While these fuels have been developed in the United States for several years, and while some partially renewable gasolines are already being used to reduce emissions throughout Europe and Japan, a distribution model needs to be developed in America to bring these innovative fuels to marinas.
There are three immediate steps we should take as an industry to tackle this issue. First is educating boaters about sustainable marine fuels and the environmental benefits.
Second is advancing opportunities to access these fuels. We’re seeing early interest from engine manufacturers to demonstrate viability. One manufacturer ran a 26-foot center console powered by sustainable marine fuel from Washington, D.C., to Florida in May 2023. Another manufacturer brought a sportfishing yacht to the American Boating Congress to show legislators how sustainable marine fuels reduce emissions, not performance.
Third is accelerating the development and distribution of sustainable marine fuels. We can’t wait for boater demand alone, because people likely won’t ask for something they can’t get nearby.
In a pilot program this summer, the National Marine Manufacturers Association, alongside member and industry partners, is introducing sustainable fuel at a marina in Florida. The idea is to familiarize boaters with high-performance 93 octane ethanol-free premium gasoline, and to test demand. We have already started to assess the gaps in delivering these fuels to the market. Our intent is to develop a blueprint guide to roll out the fuels more broadly across the country.
The most immediate need we have is to establish a sustainable marine fuel distribution model. This requires more than just the boating industry. We also need the private and public sectors to support the introduction of sustainable marine fuels. Our industry must work alongside local, state and federal governments to address tax implications, distribution network shortcomings and potential roadblocks to broader acceptance by individual marinas and local fuel distributors.
At the NMMA, we are proud to be on the front lines of bringing sustainable marine fuels to boaters across the country. With an estimated 12 million recreational boats on the water today in the United States, and with recreational boats having a lifespan as long as 50 years, sustainable marine fuels can provide immediate carbon emissions reductions from existing boat propulsion systems.
We look forward to continuing in this mission as our members develop innovative technologies, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the race to further reduce emissions.
To learn more about ICOMIA’s Pathways to Decarbonization report and the Propelling Our Future educational campaign, visit PropellingOurFuture.com.
This article was originally published in the July 2024 issue.
