Practical Boat Owner, the UK’s biggest selling boating magazine, has announced the winners of its inaugural Green Awards.

The awards aim to recognise marine businesses and individuals who have taken steps to make the leisure boat industry more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

The winners in the four categories – Product, Boat and boatbuilder, Service and Campaign – were selected by the editorial staff of PBO.

See detailed descriptions of PBO Green Awards 2009 winners and Highly Commended entries here

Isle of Wight-based engineers, Hybrid Marine, were honoured alongside the boatbuilding arm of Ronautica Group, one of Spain’s largest marine companies, The Green Blue – an RYA/BMF joint environmental initiative and charter company Sunsail, with special mention going to Volvo’s Eco Challenge and Wilks PVC for recycling used materials.

‘It’s been a fantastic first Green Awards for PBO. Congratulations to the winners and everyone who entered the inaugural competition,’ said PBO editor Sarah Norbury. ‘Our readers are genuinely passionate about raising environmental awareness and with the PBO green awards we hope to celebrate companies, organisations and individuals taking action to make the sport and the industry more sustainable and eco-friendly.’

Green Blue Project Manager, Sarah Black commented: ‘We’re delighted to receive this Green Award from PBO for our work to promote sustainable boating. To have our achievements recognised with this Award is outstanding.’

‘It is very gratifying to receive this recognition,’ says Graeme Hawksley, founder of Hybrid Marine. ‘We have been developing our hybrid technology over the last seven years and introduced parallel hybrid systems that provide clean, quiet electric drive with significant scope for reducing the use of fossil fuels.’

Lex Raas, CEO of Sunsail’s parent company told PBO: ‘We are very proud of what we have achieved but there is always more to do. Expect to see more innovative and energy-saving features on our new Sunsail yachts over the coming months.’

Ronautica MD, Rodrigo Andrade, said: ‘As sailing enthusiasts, we have always been very committed to developing environmentally friendly products. This award is a great encouragement to continue our work and we are grateful to Practical Boat Owner for valuing our efforts.’

The awards will be presented at the PBO stand (E001) at the Southampton Boat Show on Wednesday 16 September at 6pm.

See entry form for PBO Green Awards 2010 here

Winners
Product: Hybrid Marine diesel / electric drive
Boats and boatbuilders: Ronautica Eco 340 electric auxiliary GRP production yacht
Campaign: BMF/RYA Greenblue initiative
Service: Sunsail base, Tortola BVI

Highly Commended
Product: Wilks recycled PVC extrusions
Campaign: Volvo Eco Challenge 2008