With the initiation of the ocean tribute award in 2017, the Monegasque Prince Albert II Foundation, the German Ocean Foundation and boot Düsseldorf have set themselves a clear guideline: To support people, projects or initiatives in their commitment to marine conservation. boot director Petros Michelidakis: ‘In doing so, we have made the United Nations’ sustainability target our guiding principle: the aim is to preserve and utilise oceans, seas and marine resources in the interests of sustainable development. This year's five nominees show how diverse marine and nature conservation can be today and illustrate the relevance of the topic for society as a whole. I am very excited to see who will win the race this year.’
The ocean tribute Award 2025 is now entering the final route. Now that the award jury has reviewed all submitted applications in terms of effectiveness, participation and networking and selected five particularly worthy finalists, the public is invited to vote for their favorite marine conservation projects. All interested marine conservationists can vote at the following link: https://www.boot.com/ota_2. The winning project will be announced and presented at the blue motion night at boot Düsseldorf on 20 January 2025. The award is endowed with a prize money of 20,000 euros.
The following five projects have been nominated, in alphabetical order:
enteron is the fully biological mini-wastewater treatment plant for sailing and motor yachts, houseboats and large mobile homes and expedition vehicles. The founder Thomas Logisch had the intitial idea for enteron, which he worked out himself until the final solution was ready for the market and serial production. Together with students of the Berlin University of Applied Sciences, the first prototype was designed, constructed and tested. Today the company can present a new, fully biological technology that completely purifies wastewater on board a boat and returns it to stagnant and flowing waters. enteron treats wastewater directly on board and it is the smallest certified wastewater-treatment plant for houseboats, sailing and motor yachts and is also suitable for large caravans or expedition vehicles.
The High Seas Alliance (HSA), comprising over 60 NGOs, is dedicated to high seas conservation. The #RaceforRatification campaign aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goal 14, aiming for 60 ratifications of the BBNJ Agreement by UNOC 2025 to protect high seas biodiversity. With 91 signatures and eight ratifications so far, the efforts span political advocacy, technical support, and public outreach globally, including in regions like Southeast Asia, Africa, and Europe. HAS conduct workshops, capacity-building activities, and public campaigns to highlight the Treaty's importance for ocean biodiversity, climate and people. Engaging diverse stakeholders, including youth, scientists, and Indigenous Peoples, the alliance incorporate a wide range of perspectives into ocean conservation.
SeaLabs is a citizen science program that empowers sailors to collect marine data in remote areas, creating a broader impact on ocean health. By equipping participants with affordable sensor technology and an intuitive app, SeaLabs harness the power of the sailing community to contribute larger datasets than scientists alone. Together, we aim to provide a clearer picture of our oceans Together, the resulting open source database will provide a clearer picture of the state of the oceans to inform policies that protect marine life, food sources, and the environment. SeaLabs engages citizens in hands-on scientific marine data collection so that volunteers not only become stewards of the marine environment but also gain awareness through their involvement. They play a pivotal role in both contributing to a database that informs policy and in amplifying communication about the health of our seas. Through collaboration with local communities, sailing organizations, and educational institutions, SeaLabs build partnerships that promote a collective commitment to ocean conservation.
The Reclaiming Waters initiative by Healthy Seas tackles the issue of "ghost farms" (abandoned fish farms) in the Mediterranean, which threaten marine life, local economies, and coastal habitats. The project has three main objectives: ecosystem restoration through large-scale clean-ups, community and stakeholder engagement, and raising global awareness. To date, 142 tons of marine litter have been reclaimed and recycled, involving partners, volunteers, and industry professionals. Educational outreach in schools, public awareness campaigns, and a Cannes-recognized documentary highlight these efforts. By collaborating with local and international organizations, government authorities, and the aquaculture sector, the initiative seeks long-term solutions.
Ocean Material uses a revolutionary recycling technology, which turns unused mixed plastic waste into transport pallets that are ecologically and economically superior. The company has been researching a solution for low quality, mixed plastic waste which makes up 65% of global plastic waste. This type of waste is impossible to recycle at a profit, as it is made up of different layers of plastic which are often contaminated, and regarded as worthless. Together with MeSentia and the ETH Zürich, Ocean Material developed an energy saving process technology to turn these types of waste into lightweight plates. They are ecologically and economically superior and ideal as a substitute for wood. The first practical application, C-PAL, is a low-cost, light-weight and resistant transport pallet. With regard to the annual production of 5.1 billion wooden pallets worldwide, this innovation has enormous business potential while also reducing plastic pollution, deforestation and carbon emissions.
Die weltgrößte Yacht- und Wassersportmesse
Mit über 200.000 Besuchern aus mehr als 100 Ländern und 1.500 Ausstellern auf 220.000 Quadratmetern in den Hallen 1 bis 17 ist die boot Düsseldorf vom 18. bis 26. Januar 2025 die größte Yacht- und Wassersportmesse der Welt. Sowohl Segler als auch Motorbootfahrer finden hier eine große Vielfalt an Booten, Jollen, Superboats oder Luxusyachten. Die beliebten Wassersportarten Tauchen, Surfen, Kitesurfen, Stand Up Paddling, Skimboarden oder Kanu fahren gibt es auf der boot in allen Facetten und mit dem entsprechenden Equipment. Attraktive Bühnenprogramme mit den Stars der Szene, aktuelle Trends und ein hochkarätiger Mix aus Workshops und Mitmachaktionen, sowohl für den Freizeitsportler als auch für Experten, machen die Messe weltweit einzigartig. Doch auch der Meeresschutz und innovative, nachhaltige Technologien stehen auf der boot 2025 im Fokus. In Zusammenarbeit mit der European Boating Industry (EBI) bietet das blue innovation dock ein einzigartiges Dialogformat mit politischer, wirtschaftlicher, technologischer und medialer Expertise in der Halle 10.
