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How the current crisis
is affecting the leisure
marine industry
EESC hearing in Vigo – 1st December 2009
Mirna Cieniewicz, Secretary General
European Boating Industry
The boating industry today
The boating industry today
European Boating Industry
Our industry comprises of:
 Boat builders (sailing, motor boats, RIBs)
 Equipment manufacturers for boats (electronics,
interior furnishing, rigging, etc)
 Equipment manufacturers for water sports (wind /
kitesurfing, canoeing, kayaking, diving, etc.)
 Infrastructure builders and operators (marinas)
 Service providers (trade & maintenance, chartering,
financial / insurance services, schools, etc.)
Industry Facts & Figures
 Approx. 37,200 businesses in Europe
 At least 272,000 direct employees
 23.4 billion EUR of annual revenue
 97% of these businesses are SMEs
 Steady growth rate of 6% for the past 10 years
 Export-oriented
 Europe is the world leader in this sector
 High quality & innovative products and technologies
 48 million European citizens regularly practice
leisure marine activities
The industry was hit hard by the crisis
 Thousands of companies hit by the financial crisis
and the credit crunch, resulting in restructuring and
cost-cutting programmes, massive lay-offs,
bankruptcies of major players
 Sales and turnover fell by 30-40% in 2008
 All segments were affected in 2008
 Rising grey imports of used boats encouraged by
weak dollar
 Crisis generated a negative atmosphere for buyers
 Banks cut on financing options for clients
 Companies demonstrated a lot of creativity!
But people continue boating…
 A normal and even good year for the chartering
industry in 2009
 Some new behaviours appeared:
 Last minute booking
 Shorter renting periods
 Bookings outside of the normal peak season
 A good year for marinas
 And for shiphandlers (repair & maintenance
services, equipment retail)
Some specificities of our industry
 Our industry does not only produce for leisure, we
equip coastguards, maritime police, militaries, etc.
 Boatbuilding, equipment and engine manufacturing
are in between mass and on-order production
 We offer a large variety of jobs from both the
industrial and the tourism worlds
 Boatbuilding and boating are revenue-generating
activities in coastal regions but also inland with rivers
and lakes
 European boaters buy what they can afford
Some of the jobs in our industry
Some proposals to you
 Implement an effective market surveillance in Europe
 Support R&D efforts of an innovative industry
 EU FP7 Transport programme is too cumbersome for SMEs
 Environmental innovation needs to be lead development
 Support the export efforts to win new markets abroad
 Professionalise the nautical jobs:
 Europe-wide recognised trainings, skills and positions
 “Marinise” competences
 Easier access to finance for companies
 More options to finance the boat acquisition
Thank you for
your attention!
European Boating Industry
Mirna Cieniewicz, Secretary General
Tel
+32 / (0)2 741 24 46
E-mail [email protected]