Nearly six thousand professionals from the nautical sector came to meet 152,000 visitors this year. The 61st Paris Nautic Show closed its doors on a festive note to round off a satisfactory event despite strike action and a ninth Covid wave. Although Nautic showed its resilience this year, the Federation of Nautical Industries (FIN) will be questioning the model for this public event in the next few weeks.
The Paris show, unity of action serving the expression of the nautical sector From Edouard Philippe, former Prime Minister and Mayor of Le Havre, who came to open the show accompanied by the Secretary of State for the Sea, Hervé Berville, along with Yaël Braun-Piver, Chairperson of the National Assembly, to many prominent political and media figures crowded into the aisles of the largest event in the French boating calendar.
“Paris is a medium and living space of our ecosystem. Nautic is 498 accredited journalists, thousands of spin-offs, exceptional community activity in social networks as well as a hundred or so elected representatives, major players in both national and local maritime public policy and of course all the partners in the FIN actions, including the Boating Confederation, maritime cluster, MEDEF, etc. Only the Paris Show is capable of staging such a well-attended event. We place this unity of action at the service of the sector, its assertion and its future. We therefore deemed it important this year to show the concrete progress and prospects for ecological transition” acknowledges Jean-Paul Chapeleau, the FIN Chairman.
Solutions for reducing the environmental footprint presented at Nautic
As a sponsor, Mike Horn emphasised the desire of the organisers to make innovation and environmental transition the common thread for the 61st event. Note in this context the Beneteau concept boat unveiled as a world first, which combines recyclable resin, alternative motorisation and new materials, or the arrangement signed between the eco-organisation APER and Composite Recycling, which from 2023 will treat composite waste from dismantling pleasure boats using pyrolysis. “FIN has also announced in this context a global initiative by French manufacturers around life cycle analysis. Having launched the first and only boat dismantling chain, the French sector is making progress in eco-design to keep its nose in front”, announces the professional federation, which has also launched a cross-disciplinary working group on new motorisations and organised the innovation competition, as it does every year.
Innovation Competition: Nautic 2022 rewarded new ecological transition solutions for more accessible practices.
There were fourteen finalists presenting their innovations on the Nautic stage on the last day of the show. This year, the jury and Federation of Nautical Industries presented three prizes. Inocel (Isère) won the Product prize for its hydrogen fuel cell module that won over the jury. A developing technology with the goal of accelerating the use of cleaner energy sources and contributing to decarbonisation. The jury awarded the Service prize to Ox Eye from Morbihan. A start-up specialising in naval architecture, for its mould-free composite boat design. Lastly, First Prize was awarded to Les Glénans (headquartered in Paris). The leading sailing school in Europe, Les Glénans has designed a new, more ecological, fun and inclusive medium, christened KISS, for secondary school pupils, so that they can build their own boat and discover the nautical sector trades. The prize for these three winners, with the assistance of Macif, is their stand at the next Nautic show.
Nautic 2023: FIN launches a huge consultation on the attractiveness of its show
“No question is taboo”, has warned the Federation of Nautical Industries. From identity to assets, weaknesses to opportunities, the nautical community has an appointment in mid-January to question the indoor show model. “We are aware that rumours have been circulating widely during the week. This is very good, it means that the topic is of interest.
We are arranging a series of meetings per trade between mid-January and February 2023. The invitations will be sent out next week. The aim will be to listen, test ideas, receive new ones, open channels, exchange views, build together, etc. We shall then present this work internally and formulate proposals for the Federation’s General Assembly on 21 March”, summarises Fabien Métayer, the FIN Managing Director.
For more information visit www.salonnautiqueparis.com/fr.