BLA has been recognised for its leadership in marine pollution prevention, receiving the Boating Industry Association’s annual Sustainability in the Boating Industry Award.
Photo (from left): BLA Senior Sales Manager Simon Zacpal, August Race Group -Technical Director Peter Wallbank and BIA President Tracy Souris.
The award was presented during a BIA hospitality event at the Sydney Boat Show, held at Sydney Showground at Sydney Olympic Park.
Presented annually, the award recognises businesses demonstrating outstanding commitment to sustainable practices and environmental responsibility within the boating industry.
BLA received the award for introducing the Oceans Assured™ initiative to Australia and New Zealand in collaboration with UK marine product manufacturer August Race.
BIA CEO Andrew Fielding said BLA had identified an opportunity to improve the way the recreational marine sector addressed pollution and environmental compliance.
“Our winner is an esteemed member of the BIA who, in March this year, took the decision to introduce a new product to Australia and New Zealand after recognising its potential to change how the leisure marine industry approaches pollution prevention,” Fielding said.
“BLA identified a clear gap in the market for practical, scalable solutions that address marine pollution in a collaboration with August Race Oceans Assured.”
BLA committed to introducing Oceans Assured™ to the local market in March 2026 after recognising the initiative’s potential to help the industry move from responding to pollution incidents to preventing pollution at its source.
The initiative began in 2025 when August Race conducted a technical assessment of cleaning products commonly used throughout the recreational boating sector.
The assessment examined 42 boat wash products and 36 bilge cleaners, finding that 69.1 per cent of the boat wash products and 41.7 per cent of the bilge cleaners carried aquatic hazard classifications.
Several products promoted using environmental or eco-friendly claims were also found to carry classifications indicating potential harm to aquatic life, highlighting the difficulty boat owners can face when attempting to make responsible purchasing decisions.
Further engagement with flag states, maritime regulators and the International Maritime Organization established that MARPOL Annex V pollution regulations apply to leisure vessels as well as commercial shipping. However, awareness and implementation of those requirements within the recreational boating sector remained limited.
The findings led to the development of Oceans Assured™, which combines scientific research, environmental education, compliance support and practical products to help boat owners, marinas and marine businesses reduce their environmental impact.
At the centre of the initiative is what August Race describes as the world’s first fully MARPOL-compliant leisure marine maintenance range, formulated to avoid classifications considered harmful to the marine environment.
The products also incorporate recycled-content packaging, reusable spray bottle systems and waste-reduction measures intended to minimise their environmental impact throughout the product lifecycle.
A free compliance platform complements the product range by providing environmental reporting, lifecycle data and vessel-specific guidance, helping users better understand their responsibilities and make more informed maintenance choices.
The initiative has received support from marina operators, marine insurers, conservation organisations and international boating associations. It has also contributed to the establishment of a dedicated international working group focused on pollution prevention and environmental compliance.
BLA considers Oceans Assured™ to be considerably more than a cleaning and maintenance range. Around 30 employees across its sales, marketing and product teams are involved in the Australian and New Zealand rollout, with the initiative also featured prominently at BLA’s recent national trade show.
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Based on current projections, BLA and August Race believe improved product selection, greater awareness and stronger compliance practices could prevent up to 300 million litres of pollution from entering waterways annually.
The Sustainability in the Boating Industry Award acknowledges BLA’s role in bringing that programme to the region and supporting a broader shift towards practical, preventative environmental responsibility across the recreational marine industry.
For more information, visit the BLA website HERE
