Southport Yacht Club Clean Marina, Rio report, marineX@marine15 update

Declared a Clean Marina by the MIA, Southport Yacht Club Marina is a 300-berth facility with award-winning restaurant, kids' playground, excellent member programs and commitment to junior sailing. © Jeni Bone

Under sunny skies today at Southport Yacht Club, the marina received its official certification of International Clean Marina status - an important accreditation and marketing tool.

John Hogan, Mark Riddell, Jason Shultz and Brett James © Jeni Bone

John Hogan, Director at the Marina Industries Association (MIA), who presented the award to Brett James, GM at SYC, reveals what it takes to complete the audit and how such accreditation benefits a marina's bottom line.

Also in local news, marineX@marine15 has made its prospectus available for businesses keen to exhibit at the May 2015 event. Take a look at www.marine15.com and download the prospectus, and read the feature with Nik Parker, GM at BIAA outlining the many reasons why companies in the marine sector should consider exhibiting and attending the event, 3 to 5 May on Queensland's Gold Coast.

Guanabara Bay © Secretaria de Estado do Ambiente do Rio http://www.rj.gov.br

On the other side of the globe, the latest water quality figures and commitment from the Rio government and environmental managers and those in charge of sustainability and legacy for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games to clean up the water in the sea and Bays which will be venues for this pinnacle of Olympic competition.

The ecoboat of Guanabara Limpa project collects debris in Guanabara Bay during a training sesion of Aquece Rio International Sailing Regatta. © Secretaria de Estado do Ambiente do Rio http://www.rj.gov.br

Aquece Rio, a test event at the start of August, threw up a few challenges for the 130 athletes who attended, but most assert that change is underway.

The Guanabara Limpa project eco-boats © Secretaria de Estado do Ambiente do Rio http://www.rj.gov.br

Authorities are dedicated to solving a problem that has manifest over 500 years with many cultural and logistic challenges we in Australia and New Zealand cannot imagine - not something you can cure overnight.

The Summerland 40 LR by Fountaine Pajot Motor Yachts has won the exclusive Boat of the Year award. © Forest Johnson

There's an update from the Gold Coast International Marine Expo, a VOR feature ahead of this major event, the 'Everest of sailing', which starts 4 October in Alicante, Spain, and news from Fountaine Pajot Motor Yachts, its new Summerland 40 Long Range power catamaran celebrating a Boat of the Year award in the ‘Liveable Boats’ category at the prestigious 2014 Moteur Boat Awards. Fontaine Pajot is represented in the Asia-Pacific region by Multihull Solutions - a big congratulations to all!

Until next week - pleasant spring boating!