A long-term strategy
On 22 March 2017, the Fédération des Industries Nautiques presented its boating and pleasure boating development plan. This document brings together suggestions from members, gathered during meetings on boat shows, as well as those from the general public and industry outside the federation, collected on the collaborative platform Nauticlab. It sets FIN's strategic direction for the industry for the coming years and should be regularly reviewed to keep pace with developments in the boating industry.
The document, rather succinct, fixes, without unfortunately going into details, the broad lines of the actions to come, around 5 main stakes :
- Competitiveness of the sector
- Market Development
- Sustainable development
- The territories
- National Issue
Competitiveness of the sector
Beyond the competitiveness issues common to all French industries, FIN identifies three conditions necessary to maintain the position of the French nautical industry in the world.
To maintain technological leadership and support innovation, FIN wants to make support schemes more accessible, including boating specific calls for projects and lower minimum amounts to open up to small businesses. The association also wants to promote innovation online and at boat shows.
The document also stresses training needs, the promotion of which it wishes to improve within the national education system and funding by the regions.
To remain competitive, FIN wants to develop partnerships between companies in the nautical sector, support exports and help the digital transition. Legislation and administration are also pointed out as obstacles. FIN wants to reduce the number of interlocutors and limit French regulations to European requirements.
Market Development
For FIN, there is no strong industry without a strong domestic market. It therefore wants to attract new practitioners by following the evolution of practices. This requires a redesign of the French boat licence, a better support offer for boat owners and the development of alternatives to purchasing, via rental or shared boats.
The second-hand market must become more professional to secure buyers, says the document.
In order to promote the know-how of the French boating industry, FIN intends to work on communication abroad and a more professional management of boat shows. It should be noted that it has already regained direct control of the Nautic and intends to do the same of the Cannes Yachting Festival.
Sustainable development
FIN believes that the boater is caricatured as a polluter and wants to change this image. To this end, it wants to promote good practices and transmit them through a"sustainable boating MOOC", online training for boaters. The federation also wishes to be associated with the management bodies of protected marine areas.
For professionals, FIN wants state support for the energy transition and an incentive to purchase eco-responsible equipment. Work on the deconstruction and collection of pyrotechnic waste must continue.
National and territorial issues
At each scale of the territories, metropolitan and overseas, FIN wants to set up systems to measure the weight of the nautical economy. Development contracts for the sector will be concluded with the regions. FIN is also advocating for better management of water bodies and their access at the local level.
At the national level, the document calls for the creation of an inter-ministerial framework dedicated to boating, based on the Confederation of Boating and Yachting. He wants administrative resources to be strengthened and diplomas simplified.
Although it opens many avenues, the Nautical and Boating Development Plan remains a general strategic document. It therefore remains to be seen what the NIF can translate into concrete actions, in collaboration with future administrations...
