Yachting Art Magazine

The European Boating Industry (EBI) General Assembly met in Hamburg on 17 June 2025 to welcome new members and elect a new management team. The organisation continues to pursue its objective of representing the European boating industry in a context marked by economic challenges and regulatory changes.

The European Boating Industry's half-yearly general meeting was held in Hamburg under the auspices of the German Water Sports Industry Association (VMWD). The event brought together members of the organisation from across Europe to review the actions taken and define priorities for the coming months. The meeting also marked the official entry of two new organisations into the network: the French Federation of Marinas and the ACAP APICAN, which represents recreational boating stakeholders in Portugal.

With these new members, EBI now has 32 members in 21 European countries. This strengthening reflects a shared commitment to developing cooperation and promoting a common approach to issues related to boating and nautical tourism on the continent.

The assembly also noted the return of the Slovenian Maritime Industry Association (SMIA) to the EBI. This reinstatement came at the instigation of its new president, Matjaž Murko, who also heads the MennYacht group.

According to him, this step marks the beginning of a new phase of collaboration and active contribution to the work carried out at European level.

The discussions in Hamburg provided an opportunity to address issues related to economic prospects and global trade developments that are impacting the sector. Participants exchanged views on consumer expectations, the need to diversify trade relations and ways to strengthen the European internal market. The issue of business resilience in the sector was a central topic of discussion.

At the end of the meeting, Robert Marx, VMWD representative in Germany, was re-elected as president of the organisation for a new two-year term. He will be accompanied by Anne-Marie Bouweraerts (Nautibel, Belgium) as vice-president and treasurer, and Jean-Paul Chapeleau (FIN, France) as vice-president.

The board of directors has been enriched by several newly elected members: Jordi Carrasco Abad (ANEN, Spain), Mirek Hajdukiewicz (POLBOAT, Poland), Jeroen van den Heuvel (HISWA-RECRON, Netherlands), Ana Calic (CEA, Croatia) and Jarkko Pajusalo (FINNBOAT, Finland). Fabio Planamente (Confindustria Nautica, Italy) has been appointed special representative for the large yacht sector.

On the occasion of this renewal, the board praised the work of Piero Formenti (Confindustria Nautica, Italy), outgoing vice-president, for his commitment to the EBI and the sector.

In his remarks, Robert Marx emphasised the importance of uniting the efforts of European stakeholders to make the voice of the boating industry heard by the institutions. He highlighted the role of the EBI in ongoing projects, in particular the Blue Boat Horizon and its section dedicated to the life cycle analysis of boats. The president reaffirmed the organisation's commitment to defending the industry's competitiveness and ensuring that European policies support its development.

The new members expressed their satisfaction at joining the network. Guillaume Nardin, general delegate of the French Federation of Marinas, emphasised the desire to contribute to a collective dynamic in favour of more sustainable nautical tourism. For Fernando Sá, President of ACAP APICAN, joining the EBI represents a lever to support the growth of the sector in Portugal and provide concrete responses to the challenges facing recreational boating.

The return of the Slovenian Maritime Industry Association was presented as an opportunity to strengthen exchanges between the various European players and promote the specific characteristics of boating in Slovenia.

In the background to the discussions, members raised issues related to the ecological transition, changing consumer practices and labour market transformations in the sector. These themes are likely to shape the EBI's future actions, as it intends to continue its efforts to support professionals in a changing environment.

The Hamburg meeting also served to strengthen ties between national associations and the EBI, with a clear commitment to work on joint initiatives, particularly in the areas of innovation and the promotion of best practices.

By broadening its base and appointing a new team, the EBI is demonstrating its intention to remain a key point of contact for European institutions and economic stakeholders on issues related to boating and nautical tourism. The network thus aims to help shape a framework conducive to the development of the sector, in a context marked by increasingly pressing industrial, environmental and social challenges.