Finalists Announced for Boot Düsseldorf’s Ocean Tribute Award 2023

With boot Düsseldorf taking place next month, finalists have been announced for the Ocean Tribute Award 2023, and the public is invited to vote for their favourite maritime protection project. The jury of the award, which has been presented since 2017 by boot Düsseldorf in cooperation with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the German Maritime Foundation, has shortlisted five projects, and votes can be cast at www.oceantribute.de. The winning project will be announced at boot Düsseldorf’s blue motion night on 23^rd January 2023. The award comes with prize money of EUR 20,000.

Nominees include:

Clean Sea Pod’s project which aims to install a proper litter bin on the ocean and set a new standard for the recovery and disposal of ghost nets. To this end, Clean Sea Pod uses a technology that can be implemented on all sea-going yachts without increasing their carbon footprint. This is what distinguishes this project from all previous attempts. The project cooperates with different universities and research institutes in Canada and the USA, and if Clean Sea Pod wins it will finance current tests on the world’s biggest ocean, the Pacific. 

enteron® founder Thomas Logisch had the idea to develop a new, completely organic technology for onboard waste-water treatment and to return the clean water to stagnant and flowing waters. The first prototype was developed, built and tested with students from the Beuth University of Technology in Berlin. It’s the smallest certified waste-water treatment plant for house boats, sailing yachts and powerboats, but also for larger caravans or expedition vehicles. Enteron® purifies wastewater directly on board. The technology ensures that only clean, clear water is discharged into the environment and it complies with the waste-water threshold limits certified by IMO/MARPOL and MEPC. If Enteron® wins, it will apply for US Coast-Guard certification. 

Innovation Yachts has constructed and manufactured the world’s first completely recyclable and sustainable catamaran from composite material in series production. The IY LBV35 is the first model in a new series of boats propelled by solar energy and hydrogenator. Furthermore, the manufacturer guarantees the buyer to buy back all construction materials (volcanic fibre, FSC-balsa wood & organic epoxy resin) in case of damage or at the end of the boat’s useful life because these are recycled in house. The IY LBV35 is the perfect day charter boat and has an “ocean cleaning system” as a special feature, meaning it can lower its forward trampoline to collect floating garbage while sailing. If Innovation Yachts wins, the company wants to invest even more money in the re-use of waste/residual material as new building materials. 

Nemo PI developed the first open-source underwater weather station that collects various chemical and physical data on ocean pollution and analyses it in the Cloud. This data will be publicly available. Save Nemo has combined this smart hardware and software with moorings to stop wild anchoring in reefs, effectively counteracting the precarious side effects of mass tourism. If Nemo PI wins, 100 per cent of the prize money will go to its non-profit charity organization Save.Nemo e.V. 

Fregatta Space is a technology-based start-up that has developed an Earth Observation Platform, automatically detecting air and water pollution anywhere in the world. This is done by applying proprietary machine learning algorithms based on multi-spectral and hyper-spectral images generated by various sources such as satellites, drones, aircraft or cameras. This state-of-the-art technology and satellite capacities, as well as machine learning, can help to clean and conserve the earth. Fregatta Space has already concluded agreements with institutions all over the world including the Philippe Cousteau Foundation, INVEMAR and the Ecomar Foundation, to name a few. If they win they will use the prize money to develop new algorithms to survey and protect the oceans. 

About boot Düsseldorf

boot Düsseldorf has been the home port and driving engine for international water sports for 54 years. From 21 to 29 January 2023, it will present all facets of boating  and have all top-notch brands on board. Both yachtsmen and powerboaters will find a comprehensive line-up ranging from small entry-price boats and dinghies to luxury yachts. Also in focus at boot will be diving, surfing, SUP and angling.

Due to the exhibitors’ innovative and technically sophisticated products, boot is the international innovations platform of its industry kicking off the new watersports season every year in January. The extensive tourism includes holidays and sports on, by and in the water, presented at the ‘Destination Seaside’. Attractive stage programmes with interesting interview partners from the sector, the latest trending sports offered and a high-calibre blend of workshops and meetings both for leisure sportspeople and experts make this trade fair unique the world.