Sustainable Boating Vision Propelled at Boot 2024
At the Boot 2024 fair in Düsseldorf, the CBSS and its partners showcased the Baltic Sustainable Boating 2030 project, promoting the Baltic Sea as a leading destination for sustainable boating.
The Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), alongside project partners and key representatives, showcased the Baltic Sustainable Boating 2030 project (BaltSusBoating2030) at the Boot 2024 fair in Düsseldorf on 22-23 January 2023. The fair is one of the world’s premier events for leisure boating and water sports enthusiasts.
During the event, the team engaged in vital discussions and presentations aimed at promoting the Baltic Sea Region as a unified sustainable boating destination. At the heart of the discussions was the roundtable “How to make boating in the Baltic Sea even more attractive & sustainable?” held at the “Destination Seaside” stage.
“It was important that the project was represented at Boot 2024. It helped to introduce our region and attract interest from the German boating community and from other regions,” said Tarmo Ots, representing Estonia in the CBSS Expert Group on Sustainable Maritime Economy (EGSME) and in the EUSBSR Policy Area Transport.
He further underlined the role of EGSME in fostering dialogue and setting actionable targets for recreational boating and marinas across the CBSS Member States.
“It is now important that this project enters into dialogue with decision makers in the BSR and the EU,” said Ignė Stalmokaitė, Policy Officer for Sustainable and Prosperous Region, highlighting the importance of policy dialogue activities to ensure long-term impacts of the BaltSusBoating2030 project and commending the good cooperation with other pan-baltic organisations and forums such as HELCOM, VASAB and the EUSBSR.
In Düsseldorf, the roundtable discussions also unveiled initial findings related to the development of a Vision for Sustainable Boating in the BSR. This initiative is part of a broader effort to develop a Sustainability Roadmap, with the CBSS spearheading the vision co-creation process.
The campaign for stakeholder input, launched in fall 2023, aims to integrate diverse perspectives into the vision, reinforcing the Baltic Sea Region’s commitment to sustainable and inclusive maritime leisure activities.
“In the Baltic Sea, leisure boating is affordable and accessible to wide parts of the population. There are, for example, lots of associations that help youngsters or handicapped people to go sailing,” said Jens Masuch, the manager of the Baltic Sustainable Boating 2030 project.
“It is important that we keep and further strengthen this unique feature,” said Masuch.
The Baltic Sustainable Boating 2030 booth, representing marina networks from across the region, attracted a high number of visitors throughout Boot 2024, indicating a strong interest in sustainable boating practices.
For more details on the Baltic Sustainable Boating 2030 project and its initiatives, visit the CBSS Project Page.
