BOOT DÛSSELDORF – 08/07/2019
ocean tribute award 2019 at the Blue Motion Night, Photo: c.tillmann/messe düsseldorf

Prince Albert II Foundation, German Marine Foundation and boot 2020 present “ocean tribute” award for the third time in Düsseldorf

Focus on the protection of seas and waters

The public chooses its favorites at “public voting”

The “ocean tribute” award will be presented by Prince Albert II Foundation, the German Marine Foundation and boot Düsseldorf for the third time in 2020. The application phase for the international marine conservation prize runs until 31 July. Thanks to the commitment of the Monegasque Foundation and the boot, the prize money was increased to 20,000.00 euros.

All institutions, associations, research institutions and projects working for the protection of the oceans and waters shall follow the call. Applicants must first meet three criteria. The first is effectiveness, which is about the potential to achieve a significant and continuous improvement in the cleanliness of oceans and waters. Secondly, as many people as possible should be involved and able to participate in the project. And thirdly, the project should be very well networked in order to have the greatest possible public impact. Those who meet these criteria should register and apply as soon as possible on the ocean tribute award website, oceantributeaward.boot.de.

Applicants who want to achieve the following goals are particularly in demand:

  • Development of innovative, future-oriented technologies for the protection and preservation of the oceans
  • Promotion and raising awareness of scientific knowledge and development of research capacities
  • Reduction of waste and nutrients for clean seas
  • Sustainable management to protect marine and coastal ecosystems and measures to restore fish stocks
  • high-profile public awareness work, which points to abuses and offers solutions for the sustainable use of our waters
  • Reduction of acidification of the oceans and their effects

A jury of experts will select five nominees from all entries, whose projects will be presented on the award’s website – oceantributeaward.boot.de – starting in September. For the first time, the public is also invited to participate in the selection of the winner. In the “public voting” they can choose their three favorites. This result will also be included in the final vote. The winner will be announced and awarded in January at the renowned “blue motion night” at boot Düsseldorf 2020. In addition, he will present his project to the specialist audience and the media on this evening and thus achieve a high level of international attention.

Our high-quality jury consists of independent specialists from the fields of business, science and society. Every project submitted will be examined by the jury for effectiveness and feasibility.

The professional meteorologist Monika Breuch-Moritz worked for several years as a consultant and researcher for the German weather service before moving to the Federal Department of Transport in 1989. As a manager in various departments she was responsible in particular for maritime environmental protection and as a supervisor via the Federal Maritime and Hydrography Agency (BSH) where she was president  from 2008 until October 2018. Since 2017 she has been vice-president of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO) for sector 1 (states bordering the North Atlantic). In 2017 the International Maritime Organization appointed Monika Breuch-Moritz Maritime Ambassador and thus Maritime Ambassador for Germany. In these capacities she campaigns in particular for sustainable ocean policy. Monika Breuch-Moritz is a member of the advisory committee of the German Ocean Foundation.

Werner Matthias Dornscheidt has been chairman of the board of Messe Düsseldorf for over 15 years. He started out in international conventions, and in 1990 Dornscheidt became deputy chief executive of Messe Düsseldorf International GmbH before switching to Messe Leipzig. Since 2004, the business administrator and recipient of the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany has served as chairman of the board of Messe Düsseldorf, and since 2007 as the honorary consul for the United States of Mexico.

His Excellency Bernard Fautrier is Vice-President and CEO of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and plenipotentiary special consultant for matters pertaining to sustainable development for the Prime Minister of Monaco. After a career in administration from 1984 to 1995, the political scientist became Government Counsellor (Minister) for public construction projects and social issues. Fautrier was the ambassador to the Municipality of Monaco in Switzerland and at the Geneva office of the UN, and Minister for International Cooperation. He is a close advisor to Prince Albert II of Monaco and director of his foundation, which works on many international issues pertaining to sustainability, the oceans, energy and biodiversity.

Prof. em. Dr. Hartmut Graßl was appointed Director of the Physics Institute at the GKSS Research Centre in Hamburg in 1984. In 1988 he moved to the University of Hamburg, where he was intermittent Director of the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology (MPI) until his retirement in 2005. From the early to mid-1990s he was a long-time member of the German Parliament Enquête Commissions “Precautionary Protection of Earth’s Atmosphere” and “Protecting Earth’s Atmosphere”. Furthermore, Graßl led the Global Climate Research Programme of the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva for a number of years, and rendered his services multiple times in relation to the Kyoto Protocol. As Chairman of the Federation of German Scientists, Graßl is one of the most renowned scientists in Germany and leads the advisory board of the German Ocean Foundation.

After a career in administration, Prof. em. Dr. Michael Orbach became Deputy Director of the Center for Coastal and Ocean Studies at the University of California in 1979 and researched at East Carolina University before becoming professor of Marine Issues and Marine Policy at Duke University, where he also led the ocean lab for many years. Michael Orbach has released various publications in the field of sociology and political science in the context of coastal and marine environments, and has successfully advised the United States Commission on Ocean Policy as well as the Pew Ocean Commission. Orbach is a founding member of the Surfrider Foundation and a member of the advisory board of the German Ocean Foundation.

Robert Marx has been the CEO of Friedrich Marx GmbH & Co. KG since 1992. This famous company has a staff of around 70 and imports and distributes technical solutions for the marine, industrial, scheduling and safety, and vehicle technology sectors in Germany, Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic. In 2003, Marx was elected to the position of President of the German Marine Federation, following a four-year term as Vice President there. In addition, Robert Marx has been President of boot Düsseldorf since 2006. On a European level, he was the President of the ECNI (European Confederation of Nautical Industries) and was actively involved in the founding of an umbrella organization: the European Boating Industry (EBI). Marx was a leader of the EBI in his role as board member from 2009 onwards and was named President of the EBI in 2011.

About boot Düsseldorf
With almost 250,000 visitors, boot Düsseldorf is the world’s largest boat and water sports fair and every year in January the “meeting place” for the entire industry. From 18 to 26 January 2020, around 2,000 exhibitors will be presenting their interesting new products, attractive further developments and maritime equipment. This means that the complete market will be on site in Düsseldorf and will be inviting visitors on nine days of the fair to an exciting journey through the entire world of water sports in 17 exhibition halls covering 220,000 square meters. With a focus on boats and yachts, engines and engine technology, equipment and accessories, services, canoes, kayaks, kitesurfing, rowing, diving, surfing, wakeboarding, windsurfing, SUP, fishing, maritime art, marinas, water sports facilities as well as beach resorts and charter, there is something for every water sports enthusiast.