International sailing events should try to reduce the underwater noise they create to avoid impacting marine wildlife, new research led by Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, suggests. Researchers who looked at the noise made during the last America’s Cup have now produced a list of suggestions to help lower the effects of large flotillas on marine wildlife, including turning off echosounders while idling, and staggering exits post race so flotillas aren’t so large. The scientists from the university’s Institute of Life and Earth Sciences found that noise from large groups of specta ..read more

Attacks on merchant shipping in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea are continuing. The tragic loss of three crew aboard the container ship True Confidence, struck by an anti-ship ballistic missile on 6 March, underscores how very little protection is afforded to seafarers in the front line, writes Thomas Owen, CEO of MariTrace. While the attacks may be intended to mark out ships with business connections to the US and the UK, the risks of collateral damage and the very real threat to the lives of innocent people are clear. As with routing decisions in any part of the world, any decision to transit a ..read more

The Royal Navy is adding to its arsenal in the next three years – it will be installing what it describes as ‘a powerful laser weapon’ on a warship in 2027. The image above is what the navy says it could look like, when fired from a ship. The jauntily named DragonFire will add to the navy’s array of air defence weaponry, which includes the Sea Viper and Sea Ceptor missile systems. Those have recently shot down Houthi targets in operations in the Red Sea with HMS Diamond and HMS Richmond. Used to counter drone and missile threats, a burst of the high-intensity beam from DragonFire costs no more ..read more

Bainbridge International has reorganised its management with four new divisions created to deliver a tighter focus. Key product lines and stock management for each division will now fall under individual managers’ remits, along with development and growth plans. “These strategic changes have been in the planning for a while and are poised to bolster our long-term vision for product development and manufacturing across all divisions,” says Laurence Mead, executive chairman. He’s stepped into a day-to-day leadership role within the company. “In the immediate future, we expect this refined approa ..read more

New eco-friendly company Sea Clean UK is launching a range of boat cleaning products which are said to achieve a high-quality finish without the need for water. Seemingly, the cleaners can be sprayed directly onto surfaces, with no requirement for a hose and bucket. Depending on the type of Sea Clean product, users then simply wipe the surface with a dry microfibre, or wipe with a damp microfibre before buffing off to reveal a spotless shine. “We launched Sea Clean to address the pressing need for sustainable cleaning practices that truly make a tangible difference in preserving the aquatic en ..read more

Spectra Watermakers, a Katadyn Group company specialising in small-scale, energy-efficient desalination systems, says it is meeting changing market demand by providing 48V watermakers needed for the rapidly evolving electric and hybrid trends in the latest yacht models. “As yacht power technology advances, customers expect watermaker models to seamlessly integrate proven desalination methods with innovative, eco-friendly technologies,” says Abel Nolasco, general manager, Spectra Watermakers. “Customer input drove this evolution of our large portfolio of energy efficient watermakers.” He notes ..read more

British Marine, the membership organisation leading the UK leisure, superyacht, and small commercial marine industry, has released its new annual economic report, detailing the economic impact of the UK marine industry from 2022-23. The report, titled “The Economic Benefits of the Leisure, Superyacht & Small Commercial Marine Industry, 2022-23,” offers an overview of the industry’s significant contribution to the UK economy, providing analysis and statistics on industry turnover, Gross Value Added (GVA), employment figures, and the balance of trade concerning imports and exports. It also p ..read more

A new study, led by Plymouth Marine Laboratory in the UK, has revealed five high-risk zones where floating plastic litter poses the greatest risk to North Atlantic marine life. Marine plastic litter is a truly global pollution problem. An estimated 19 to 23 million metric tons of plastic waste entered the world’s aquatic ecosystems in 2016 and this figure is predicted to triple by 2030. Land-based sources of plastic are thought to account for about 80 per cent of plastic pollution in the marine environment, with single-use items such as plastic bags, bottles, wrappers, food containers, and cut ..read more

Italian shipyard Sanlorenzo will be making its show debut at this year’s British Motor Yacht Show, which runs from 16 to 19 May 2024. Throughout the event hosted in Swanwick Marina in Southampton, the team at Sanlorenzo Yachts UK will be presenting a Sanlorenzo SL90A, which, at 28 metres, will also be the largest yacht on display at the four-day boat show. “We’re delighted to be bringing one of our stunning Sanlorenzo yachts to the British Motor Yacht Show for the first time,” says Nick Hatfield, sales manager at Sanlorenzo Yachts UK. “We’re inviting prospective Sanlorenzo owners, yachting ent ..read more

With EU elections in June 2024 and set to define the next five years, the European Boating Industry (EBI) is launching its manifesto aimed at shaping the policy framework for boating and nautical tourism in Europe. EBI’s manifesto titled ‘Navigating Tomorrow: A vision for a sustainable boating industry #MadeInEurope’ delineates a strategic framework crucial for the future of the European boating and nautical tourism sector. Among these objectives are the advancement of environmental sustainability and circularity, the renewal of European competitiveness, the facilitation of European-based tour ..read more