Announcing IEMA – International Electric Marine Association to empower the industry
Electric boating now has a global organization acting on its behalf, IEMA – International Electric Marine Association, which has already brought together an impressive 40+ members and is emerging as a strong voice for electrification in all aspects of boating, shipping and related infrastructures.
The IEMA site lists both Corporate Members and Company Members, comprising industry leaders from all over the world: boat builders; electric outboard, inboard and drive train manufacturers; battery suppliers; infrastructure / charging specialists; and marine certification agencies.
The Corporate Members: Aqua superPower, c.technology, ePropulsion, Evoy, HPiVS, Kempower, Seabird, Tritium, Tyde, Vita Power and X Shore.
Company Members are: Alloy, BlueNav, Canna, Carlos Friere, Flux Marine, Forza X1, HY-Plug, Kreisel, Lanéva, Logistics, Magonis, Marine Charging Point, Marine Electrification Solutions, Mobyfly, NTSystems, Pascal Technologies, RAD Propulsion, Remigo, Regent, Seavolt, Sinbon, Tidal Transit, TidePoole, Verne, Volta and VoltSafe.
‘Collaborative approach’
The IEMA mission is to empower the electric marine industry and accelerate the global transition toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.
Adria Jover, President of IEMA, said “IEMA’s collaborative approach brings together our members into an ecosystem to actively cooperate in establishing a sustainable and thriving global electric marine sector for everyone’s benefit. We do this because we know there is not just one solution to challenges this new industry faces, and we need to work together.”
The priorities for the not-for-profit organization will be: technical guidance, developing standards, and establishing protocols for instilling confidence in the safety and viability of electric marine solutions.
Global reach
ePropulsion CEO and founder Danny Tao spoke about the global scope of IEMA and the significance of Asia in the electric marine industry, citing the region’s pivotal position as a manufacturing and battery production hub; “Asia is undeniably a key market for electrification, and I am pleased to witness IEMA’s reach extending globally. By fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange with our Asian counterparts, IEMA is poised to be a catalyst for transformative change. Together, we can navigate the challenges, accelerate innovation, and pave the way for a thriving electric marine industry worldwide.”
One of the principals of the organization is to elevate data exchange between the electric marine sector and critical stakeholders such as ports, onshore infrastructure, energy companies and local municipalities.
Supporting infrastructure
Alex Bamberg, CEO of Aqua Superpower and one of IEMA’s founding members, highlighted the importance of supporting infrastructure for accelerating electric boating, saying; “At Aqua Superpower, our mission has always been to provide a connected charging network, knowing that this will pave the way to accelerate electric boating. We understand that influencing and advocating for government legislation and grants will also accelerate this. Being part of IEMA ensures that safe and viable solutions are achieved more quickly.”
Strength in unity
Another key goal is the unity. With any young industry it is always difficult to get people to work together. The industry is now large enough that it needs to act together to achieve goals. It feels like a bunch of companies working in searate siloes. With the growth over the past couple of years,
Nathan Baker, CTO of Seabird Technologies who manufacture the electric foiling boats for the new E1 Race Series, said that strength in unity is key. “This is why we joined IEMA, to be part of the industry voice for electric marine, and together we’re louder. As a united front, we are able to advocate, connect, and collaborate with all stakeholders to overcome the hurdles that the electric marine sector faces.”
Exciting 2024 plans
Looking ahead, IEMA has an exciting 2024 planned, having been confirmed to assist the 2024 Ocean Decade Conference in Barcelona, April 10-12, 2024, and with its own satellite event. IEMA will be holding its first Annual Members Meeting and keynote presentation at the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, July 1-6, 2024. Further details to be announced soon.
Click here to find out more or Join IEMA today.
