ICOMIA, European Boating Industry and the National Marine Manufacturers Association have launched a global survey to support development of a harmonised Life Cycle Assessment methodology for recreational boats and yachts. The proposed framework is specifically intended for craft up to 24 metres, making it directly relevant to the entire Luxury Yacht Guide size range.
The initiative aims to give builders and suppliers a consistent way to measure environmental impact from raw materials and production through use, maintenance and end of life. At present, different methodologies can make comparisons between boats difficult or misleading.
The project builds on Blue Boat Horizon
The work develops methodology created through the European Blue Boat Horizon project and seeks to adapt it for international use. ICOMIA, EBI and NMMA want a framework that is scientifically credible but also practical enough for builders of different sizes to apply.
That balance is important because detailed lifecycle analysis can require substantial data from materials, energy use, suppliers and manufacturing. A method that is too complex would be difficult for smaller yards to adopt consistently.
Builders and suppliers are being asked for input
The current survey asks companies about their existing use of LCA, internal resources, barriers to adoption and the type of guidance required. Propulsion suppliers, component makers and materials companies are included because a yacht's lifecycle impact cannot be calculated from yard data alone.
Participants may also be invited into a pilot group that will test a trial tool from October to December 2026. That gives the industry an opportunity to influence usability before the framework is finalised.
Comparability could change purchasing decisions
A common methodology would allow builders to assess design changes using the same basic rules and could eventually make environmental claims easier for buyers to compare. That may affect decisions around hull materials, propulsion, energy systems, manufacturing processes and recyclability.
The system is not intended to reduce every yacht to a single marketing score. Its value lies in giving designers and manufacturers a more consistent evidence base for understanding where the greatest lifecycle impacts actually occur.
The 24-metre limit makes this especially relevant to LYG
Unlike many maritime sustainability initiatives centred on commercial shipping or very large yachts, this project explicitly addresses recreational craft up to 24 metres. That includes production sailing yachts, motor yachts and catamarans across LYG's entire 12-to-23.99-metre scope.
For owners, the immediate effect will be limited because the methodology is still being developed. Over time, however, a credible global framework could make it easier to distinguish measurable improvements from vague environmental claims and help yards design more efficient yachts across their full lifecycle.
