Australian marine distributor BLA (Boating Lifestyle Adventure) has received the Boating Industry Association’s annual Sustainability in the Boating Industry Award for its work on marine pollution prevention.
The award was presented during a BIA hospitality event at the Sydney Boat Show at Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park.
The annual award recognises businesses committed to sustainable practices and environmental responsibility in the boating industry.
BLA received the award after 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 identified an opportunity to improve how the recreational marine sector addresses 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 says.
“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 introduced Oceans Assured to the local market in March 2026 after assessing pollution prevention and environmental compliance within the recreational boating sector.
The initiative began in 2025 when August Race carried out a technical assessment of cleaning products commonly used in recreational boating. It 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 marketed with environmental or eco-friendly claims also carried classifications indicating potential harm to aquatic life. The findings point to the difficulty boat owners can face when assessing the environmental impact of maintenance products.
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 these requirements within the recreational boating sector remained limited.
Oceans Assured initiative
The findings contributed to the development of Oceans Assured. At the centre of the initiative is a marine maintenance range that August Race describes as the world’s first fully Marpol-compliant leisure marine maintenance range. The products are formulated to avoid classifications considered harmful to the marine environment.
The range uses recycled-content packaging and reusable spray bottle systems, alongside measures intended to reduce waste during the product lifecycle.
The initiative has received support from marina operators, marine insurers, conservation organisations and international boating associations. It has also contributed to the establishment of an international working group focused on pollution prevention and environmental compliance.
Around 30 BLA employees across its sales, marketing and product teams are involved in the Australian and New Zealand rollout. The initiative was also presented at BLA’s recent national trade show.
BLA and August Race estimate that changes in product selection, awareness and compliance practices could prevent up to 300m litres of pollution from entering waterways annually. The estimate is based on current projections.
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