The International Council of Marine Industry Associations, European Boating Industry and the National Marine Manufacturers Association signed the first-ever agreement to develop a global recreational marine life cycle assessment framework. The partnership, announced at Boot Düsseldorf, will establish collaboration to assess, measure, and report the environmental performance of the industry’s recreational boats.
Boot Düsseldorf opened Jan. 18 and runs through Jan. 26
The collaboration is part of marine industry efforts to demonstrate environmental stewardship and synthesize global sustainability initiatives. Once established, the proposed methodology will quantify the environmental performance of a boat through every phase of its life, including raw materials, production, use phase, disposal and recycling, according to an ICOMIA statement.
“Since 1966, ICOMIA has helped the global recreational marine industry create a better boating experience that reduces our environmental footprint,” ICOMIA president Darren Vaux said in the statement. “Developing a standardized LCA, a continuation of the industry’s Propelling Our Future initiative, is an important step in advancing this work, ensuring there is a consistent path for measurement and self-regulation across our industry.”
ICOMIA, EBI and NMMA will complete an extensive review of life cycle assessment methodologies to identify the most relevant approach for the global market, building on the projects already completed or underway with EBI’s Blue Boat Horizon and ICOMIA’s Marine Engine Committee.
“As the leading recreational boating market, we recognize the significance of partnering with the global market to establish a unified, global LCA methodology as our members’ products are increasingly sought around the world, making that consistency more important than ever,” NMMA president and CEO Frank Hugelmeyer said in the statement.
