ICOMIA News

Following the 59th ICOMIA Annual General Meeting on 29 May 2025, Frank Hugelmeyer, President and CEO of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), was elected the new ICOMIA Board President for a two-year term. Headquartered in Washington D.C., Hugelmeyer has led NMMA since 2019 and advanced the interests of the entire North American recreational boating…

A New Resource from ICOMIA Yesterday at ICOMIA/IFBSO Congress 2025, the ICOMIA Diversity Committee met and launched a new resource for the recreational boating industry, Innovating Inclusion – Supporting Women in the Boating Industry. Acknowledging a period of profound disruption and economic uncertainty, this compilation argues that now is the opportune moment to leverage diverse…

Opening Ceremony Representatives from Palma City Council helped to officially open ICOMIA/IFBSO Congress 2025 yesterday, kicking off a week of presentations, meetings and events focused entirely on the growth and betterment of the recreational boating industry.  Javier Sanz, Presidente Port Authority, Alejandro Sáez de San Pedro, Regional Minister for Enterprise, Employment and Energy and Antonio…

Episode 8 of the ICOMIA Podcast has just been released and it features an interview with ICOMIA President Darren Vaux. Ben sat down with Darren at the Dubai International Boat Show to talk about how much the industry has changed in the decade that he has been part of the ICOMIA family, from new technology…

This week the ICOMIA Marine Engine Committee (IMEC) group met in Gothenburg, Sweden. Hosted by Volvo Penta, who provided Volvo Penta powered boats for a demonstration of their IPS technology,  the meeting was attended by representatives from Yamaha, Suzuki, Nanni, Mercury Marine, Indmar Marine Engines, Pleasurecraft Engine Group, Cummins, Kawasaki, Tohatsu, BRP, and Selva Marine.…

Episode 7 of the ICOMIA Podcast has just been released and it features an interview with Red Sea Global and LMA’s Wyndham Tops. Ben sat down with Wyndham at the Dubai International Boat Show to talk about the speed and quality of development in the UAE and specifically the Red Sea Coast. The ICOMIA Podcast…

The ICOMIA team have spent this week in Singapore at the South East Asia Yachting Conference (SEAYC). The conference was held as part of the Singapore Yachting Festival and both Joe Lynch, ICOMIA CEO and Su Lin Cheah, ICOMIA Asia Pacific Representative attended the conference. Joe was invited to host a debate about the impact…

Episode 6 of the ICOMIA Podcast has just been released and it once again features ICOMIA CEO Joe Lynch. Joe sat down with Ben to talk about the work ICOMIA has been doing, specifically on the Recreational Boating Industry Statistics, Propelling our Future, Congress and the ICOMIA World Marinas Conference. The ICOMIA Podcast is hosted…

During ICOMIA’s recent trip to the China (Shanghai) International Boat Show, Joe Lynch and Su Lin Cheah met up with the China Communications and Transportation Association (CCYIA) leadership team who released the following press article which has been translated (by google) below. You can read the original article and view more pictures here https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/SsLDjc2xhebbh5FHqOtnsg. On…

This week saw ICOMIA participating in the opening celebrations of the 28th China (Shanghai) International Boat Show. ICOMIA CEO Joe Lynch, supported by Regional Representative (APAC) Su Lin Cheah were invited to officiate at the opening ceremony, declaring CIBS2025 open on 30 March 2025. They were also asked to present six awards at the Asian…

Where waters merge & worlds connect… This year’s World Boating Day takes place on 24 May 2025. After making waves in nine countries during its debut, World Boating Day is set to make an even bigger splash on May 24, 2025—with registrations now open. Organised by the Superyacht Life Foundation, this industry-wide open day brings…

Episode 5 of the ICOMIA Podcast has just been released and features Ulrich Manigel, Managing Director of IMCI – International Marine Certification Institute. Ulrich sat down to talk with podcast host Ben Taylor about the important work IMCI does to keep the recreational marine industry safe and compliant and how they work closely with ICOMIA…

Tariffs 2025 and their impact on the boating industry are a hot topic right now. How tariffs are likely to affect the recreational marine industry is of high concern, particularly in relation to the wide-reaching impacts on the US and EU markets. Of course, it doesn’t just stop there. There are potentially far-reaching implications for…

ICOMIA is delighted to welcome SOVREN as a Sustaining Member. SOVREN will be joining the ICOMIA Marinas Group. SOVREN is a leading consultancy in the yachting and maritime industry, providing expert guidance on marine infrastructure projects, shore-based support and operational strategy. With decades of experience, the company plays a key role in developing commercial ports,…

Episode 4 of the ICOMIA Podcast has just been released and features The Yacht Harbour Association’s Jonathan White. Jon sat down to talk with podcast host Ben Taylor about his background, the work he does at TYHA and how it links with ICOMIA, in particular with reference to his role as Chairman of the ICOMIA…

Posidonia meadows provide critical habitats and nursery grounds for a variety of marine life and support rich biodiversity. They have the unique ability to produce oxygen and are highly efficient at capturing and storing carbon dioxide. They act as significant ‘carbon sinks’ whilst their dense root systems help stabilise the sea bed and also manage…

The ICOMIA Diversity Committee has arranged two free Gender Equality Workshops on 26 and 27 March 2025. The workshops, which will be delivered by the WinBlue Project, will give a basic introduction to gender equality in the workplace and cover how to plan and implement a gender equality strategy. The workshops take place on: Wednesday…

Episode 3 of the ICOMIA Podcast has just been released and features the ICOMIA’s very own Technical Director, Patrick Hemp. Patrick sat down to talk with podcast host Ben Taylor about his background, the work he does at ICOMIA and in particular about ISO Standards and the work he is involved in as part of…

The Dubai International Boat Show takes place this week from 19 -23 February 2025 at Dubai Harbour. ICOMIA’s CEO Joe Lynch and President Darren Vaux will be attending the event and on Thursday they will be presenting the latest developments in the Propelling our Future campaign. The ICOMIA Board of Directors will also be meeting…

The official invitation for this year’s ICOMIA/IFBSO Congress has now gone out to all ICOMIA members. Congress will be held from 25 – 29 May 2025 in Palma de Mallorca. If you would like to find out more or enquire about attending please contact trudie@icomia.com in the first instance.