Boat Builder Awards announces 2023 shortlist | Boating Industry

A total of 36 companies and individuals from 14 countries have been named as potential winners for this year’s Boat Builder Awards for Business Achievement 2023, in association with Raymarine.

Final decisions were made by an international panel of 10 subject-matter experts from an initial selection of 90 very high-quality entries across 11 categories. The judges shortlisted 33 nominations and additionally identified who would receive this year’s Lifetime Achievement and Rising Star awards during a gala dinner at Amsterdam’s Maritime Museum on Thursday November 16.

The Boat Builder Awards are jointly organised by IBI and METSTRADE in association with Raymarine, to reward the outstanding business achievements of individuals and teams working across the worldwide leisure boat and superyacht sector. The awards focus attention on key sector priorities – innovation, collaboration, environment, talent, and marketing.

“The IBI METSTRADE Boat Builder Awards remains uniquely focused on the essential behind-the-scenes ingredients that make the global yacht manufacturing industry successful,” Chair of the judging panel and IBI Editor, Ed Slack, commented. “This year, the standout growth area was in entries covering our two sustainability categories, an indicator that the sector is rapidly moving up the bell curve in its efforts from early pioneering environmental projects towards driving lifecycle approaches into a business-as-usual reality. The incidence of innovative younger businesses making an impact is another striking theme.”

“The Boat Builder Awards, supported by our long-standing partner Raymarine, is one of the traditional highlights of METSTRADE, the world’s largest gathering of leisure marine professionals,” METSTRADE director Niels Klarenbeek added. “It provides an essential focal point for the thousands of METSTRADE visitors who work for the global yacht construction industry and allied trades, as well as those who supply the equipment and materials for them. This year’s strong field of entries from four continents reflects the truly international standing of the Boat Builder Awards. We look forward to welcoming guests to the magnificent National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam on Thursday 16 November as we celebrate the very best of the best boat building and superyacht yard business achievements for 2023.”

Boat Builder Awards 2023 Shortlist

Customer of Tomorrow

• Axopar – x Agapi Boat Club
• RAND Boats – in partnership with GoBoat Connect
• TYDE – The Icon

Breakthrough Launch of the Year
Sponsored by High Pressure Watermakers

• HH Catamarans – HH44
• Prestige Yachts – M-Line
• Sunseeker International – Superhawk 55
• TYDE – The Icon

Innovative Design Solution
Sponsored by Fusion

• Artemis Technologies – eFoiler – foiling pilot boat
• Ferretti Yachts – INFYNITO 90 – All-Season Terrace, main deck layout, country kitchen and FSEA technology
• HH Catamarans – HH44 – Eco-drive system
• Sunseeker International – Superhawk 55 – aft deck and helm layout
• TYDE – The Icon – glazing, flight control, digital helm, safety features and sound system

Supply Chain Collaboration – production boats
Sponsored by Ultraflex

• Highfield Boats and Zerojet –EJET 330 electric RIB
• Nautique Boat Company and Scanstrut – magnetic charger for 2024 ski boats
• Princess Yachts, Whisper Power and Sleipner –  X80 and Y80 E2 Hotel Battery Pack

Supply Chain Collaboration – superyachts

• BSS and Lürssen – HISAC
• CRN, RINA Services and Weichai-Ballard – SUP-Y: Sustainable Powered Yacht

Sustainability Project of the Year
Sponsored by ePropulsion

• Amer Yachts – Go Slowly campaign
• Azimut | Benetti Group – adoption of biofuel
• Beneteau Group – recycling fibres into new builds

Eco-focused Boat of the Year
Sponsored by Marine Resources

• IMPACD Boats – IMPACD 570
• Saffier Yachts – Saffier Se 24 Lite
• Sunreef Yachts – 80 Sunreef Power ECO

Designer of the Year

• Carl Kai Rand – Rand Boats
• Christian Gott – Fairline Yachts
• Designworks, J&J Design and Tobias Hoffritz, TYDE – collaborators on TYDE The Icon
• James Hakes – HH Catamarans

People and Skills Development

• Boating Industry Association – Marine Jobs Initiative
• British Marine – People & Skills programme
• Sunseeker International – Sunseeker Skills Academy

Rising Star
Sponsored by Lumishore

This category celebrates those aged 35 or under, working for a boat builder, making a growing impact on any aspect of their business. The judges’ pick of the global industry’s young talent will be revealed in the evening.

Lifetime Achievement
Sponsored by Sleipner

The awards evening culminates with the much-anticipated Lifetime Achievement Award, presented in the previous eight years to:

• Paolo Vitelli – Azimut Benetti
• Robert Braithwaite, CBE – Sunseeker International
• David King – Princess Yachts
• Annette Roux – Beneteau Group
• Robert T Healey Sr and William J Healey – Viking Yachts
• Christoph Rassy – Hallberg-Rassy 
• Leon Slikkers – Slickcraft, S2, Tiara and Pursuit
• John Lu – Horizon Yachts

Source: https://boatingindustry.com/news/2023/10/19/boat-builder-awards-announces-2023-shortlist/