On World Maritime Day, Thursday, 26th September 2024, the Recreational Boating Conference was held in Haugesund, Norway, as part of the week-long Maritime Safety Conference Maritum Uke 2024. The event was hosted by the Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) and centred on the theme Navigating the Future: Safety First! set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
The conference opened with a keynote address by Sigrun Gjerløw Aasland, State Secretary for the Ministry of Climate and the Environment. The morning sessions featured an overview of the 2023 and 2024 (January – August) accident statistics for both commercial and recreational vessels. Petter Andre Søreng, Head of the Recreational Craft Section at NMA, presented a detailed analysis of accident data by craft type and situation.
In the afternoon, a break-out session focused on accident investigations involving recreational vessels. Key discussions included recommendations for revising the ISO TC 188 Small Craft Standards. A panel discussion followed, featuring experts from the search and rescue department, who shared their insights on safety measures and response protocols.
Patrick Hemp, representing ICOMIA/IMEC, provided a comprehensive overview of the Pathways to Propulsion Decarbonisation for the Recreational Marine Industry study, focusing on sustainable marine fuels and alternative fuel solutions such as hydrogen. This presentation was part of the ongoing Propelling Our Future campaign.
Additional talks were given by Ståle Almenning from the Norwegian Electric Boat Association and Marius Dyrseth, Technical Director of Evoy®, who discussed advancements in electric propulsion technology.
ICOMIA expressed its gratitude to the Norwegian Maritime Authority and Norboat for their engaging discussions and exceptional hospitality.
