TransEurope Marinas: Reflections from boot 2026

1 February 2026

Adapting to an Evolving Industry

The 2026 edition of boot Düsseldorf served as a vital focal point for the European marine sector, attracting some 200,000 visitors from across the globe. TransEurope Marinas maintained a strong presence throughout the event, engaging with the critical shifts currently reshaping the marine landscape – from radical design evolutions to the integration of citizen science.

International Collaboration & Strategic Partnerships

A central highlight was the annual TransEurope meeting, which brought together representatives from eight different nationalities, underscoring the strength of the network’s cross-border cooperation. The association was delighted to officially welcome its newest member, Molum Marine Club, to the group. Located in Sv. Filip i Jakov, Croatia, Molum combines high-quality marine hospitality with a proactive approach to boat care.

Beyond formal meetings, the event provided a valuable opportunity to catch up with key partners, including Pick a Pier and Savvy Navvy, for a series of exchanges regarding the future of digital and smart marina management and productive industry collaboration.

The Industry Pulse: The EBI Breakfast Meeting

The unwaveringly popular European Boating Industry (EBI) Breakfast Meeting proved to be one of the most significant events of the week, taking a candid look at “Future-proofing boat manufacturing in Europe”. Key takeaways included the topic of evolving customer standards, recognising a preference for intuitive digital integration over traditional technical complexity. Concerningly, Norbert Leifeld, CEO of Bavaria Yachts, referenced a daunting 40% surge in boat production costs, creating a significant gap between premium designs and realistic consumer means.

The Infrastructure Challenge

Reflecting on the dramatic changes seen across the exhibition halls, Jean-Michel Gaigné, TransEurope Marinas Hon. Chair, pointed out that the industry’s steady move toward new design standards is creating a marked challenge for existing shore-side facilities:

“80% of the boats exhibited did not exist 10 years ago. Inverted bow design, lateral swimming platforms, higher freeboard, and roomy living space have become the norm. Electric and hybrid propulsion, or solar panels are increasingly visible, foil boards and awesome water toys are now commonplace. This signals a major transition for our marinas; the vessels currently in our berths remain largely traditional compared with the notable shift in design seen at boot Düsseldorf 2026.”

Bridging the Gap with Ocean Science

Beyond the business of berths and builds, TransEurope Marinas played an active role in the Love Your Ocean area. Joining team members from The Ocean Race and Horizon Europe project CSMach1, TransEurope represented LandSeaLot in showcasing low-cost oceanographic sensors and marine citizen science apps, which aim to help bridge the gap between in-situ terrestrial and marine observation.

These efforts attracted interest in ocean science by demonstrating how marinas can serve as hubs for data collection. By involving the boating community in citizen science initiatives, TransEurope is aiming to empower marina users to becoming active contributors to marine environmental monitoring. This proactive stance on sea-quality and ecological health ensures that marinas are seen not just as parking spaces for boats, but as stewards protecting the marine environments they occupy.

Image Copyright: Messe Düsseldorf / Tillmann