Finsulate, boatfolk and five others partner to launch Cleaner marina

Seven sailing organisations, including boatfolk, Finsulate and the Ocean Cruising Club, have joined forces to champion marinas as guardians of cleaner waters, and have launched a free, online resource Cleaner marina.

The founding partners boatfolk, savvy navvy, Ecoworks marine, Clean Sailors, the Ocean Cruising Club, The SeaCleaners and Finsulate have teamed up with the aim to champion inspiring activity of marinas around the world and encourage others in the same.

Cleaner marina details steps that any marina, port or harbour authority can take to help protect our marine ecosystems.

Initiated by Clean Sailors, the aim of the Cleaner marina movement is to inspire, encourage and create a community of marinas around the world who are implementing practices, which help to safeguard the health of our waters.

On supporting Cleaner marina, Yvan Bourgnon, sailor and founder of The SeaCleaners, comments: “The environment is everyone’s business, boaters, tourists, sailors. We must therefore embark with the environment in mind. In my opinion, the principle of freedom of navigation implies the freedom to engage in activities without harming nature. So, we respect the sea, the oceans as well as the marinas. A marina is meant to be clean. Floating rubbish, oil-sprayed water, foul smells… apart from respecting the wildlife, a clean marina is as important for the people on board the boats as it is for those who come to enjoy its docks.”

Dominic Zammit, director of digital, brand and communications at boatfolk – a marina group that manages 11 sites in the UK, comments: “As a boating business the coastline is our lifeline, and we need to protect it for the generations to come. We want the boatfolk community to have a positive impact on the marine environment (and the planet) and we know that this change must happen soon.”