Sustainable Boating at boot Düsseldorf 2020
In line with the topic of the hour, climate change, sustainability in boating was this year’s theme for the International Breakfast Meeting. Co-organised by boot Düsseldorf and European Boating Industry on 21 January, the event discussed key trends in developing the future of sustainable boating with 180 attendees from across the industry.
Hydrogen to play important role in the European Green Deal
The keynote speech delivered by Dr Artur Runge-Metzger (Director, European Commission Directorate-General for Climate Action) was the centre of discussion. He presented the European Green Deal, which has the ambition to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 through a transformation towards environmental sustainability and tackling climate change. He mentioned the potential of green hydrogen as an energy carrier in the decarbonization of industry and mobility, specifically as a zero-emissions fuel alternative in the mobility sector.
President of the European Boating Industry (EBI), Jean-Pierre Goudant, highlighted that “For our sector, moving towards sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint is crucial. As EBI, we see this as one of our key challenges for the coming years (…).”
Sustainability across the entire value chain
A variety of speakers followed, showcasing innovations in terms of electric, hybrid, and hydrogen propulsion for yachting. An important conclusion from the talks was, that sustainability in boating must look at the entire life-cycle of ships, from the way they are manufactured and the materials used, to how they are powered and used in sustainable ways, and how they are recycled at the end-of-life. Sustainability must come full-circle, and we are proud to be a pioneer in sustainable yachting with the AQUON One catamaran.