Sailing News – Log of the Week • 21 November 2025

Every week the sea brings a new mix of stories — some close to home, some from the other side of the world. Whether you’re wintering in a marina, planning your next passage, or just enjoying your morning coffee with a bit of sailing news, here’s what’s happening around the cruising world this week.

1) ARC 2025: The Atlantic Rally Gets Ready to Start

The classic ARC rally is almost underway, and Las Palmas is already full of activity. Around 150 boats will start their Atlantic crossing between 20 November and early December, heading toward Saint Lucia. The docks are busy with last checks, provisioning, route planning, and the excited energy that always shows up before a long passage. For many cruisers, the ARC is not a race — it’s a safe and social way to cross, especially for families and first-timers. Even if you’re not joining, it’s fun to follow the fleet online and imagine that one day your boat might also point west with the trade winds behind you.

More info: https://worldcruising.com/events/arc

2) METSTRADE Amsterdam Highlights What’s Coming Next for Cruisers

METSTRADE 2025 has taken over Amsterdam this week with more than 1,600 exhibitors showcasing new gear, electronics, materials, and marina solutions. For cruising sailors, these big trade shows usually hint at what will reach our boats in the next few years. This year’s focus is on greener marinas, smarter onboard systems, refit-friendly equipment, and easier digital tools for maintenance and monitoring. Many small innovations start here long before they reach chandlery shelves. Even from far away, it’s interesting to see where the industry is moving — and how technology is slowly shaping the future of everyday cruising.

Read more: https://www.metstrade.com/

3) ICE’25 Brings the Global Charter World Together in Amsterdam

Earlier this month, more than 600 charter companies and over 1,500 professionals gathered at the International Charter Expo (ICE’25). It’s the biggest B2B charter event worldwide, covering everything from gulets and catamarans to large monohull fleets. While it sounds like an industry-only event, the decisions made there eventually affect cruisers. More charter bases can mean more marina investment in certain regions, and new models often enter charter fleets before reaching the second-hand market. That means some of the boats you’ll see for sale in a few years — especially ex-charter catamarans — are being chosen right now.

Details: https://www.internationalcharterexpo.com/

4) Spanish Marinas Launch New Sustainability Plan

Marinas de España has started a new partnership with Soluciones Verdes to help marinas across the country modernize their environmental approach. The project was presented at a national marina conference in Puerto Sotogrande with more than 200 participants. Topics included cleaner water management, recycling systems, and new eco-label standards. For cruisers, this is the type of work that quietly improves daily life: cleaner pontoons, better waste stations, newer pump-outs, and less plastic floating in the harbour. Spain already has some of the Med’s nicest marinas, so it’s promising to see sustainability becoming more central.

5) World Sailing Awards Celebrate Offshore Sailors and Seagrass Protection

At this year’s World Sailing Awards in Dún Laoghaire, two offshore sailors — Charlie Dalin and Justine Mettraux — were named Rolex World Sailors of the Year after their impressive performances in record-setting ocean races. Alongside the sporting achievements, an environmental award went to the LIFE Recreation ReMEDIES project, which works to protect seagrass in southern England. Many cruisers know how fragile seagrass meadows are, especially in busy anchorages. It’s encouraging to see this work recognized at an international level, as these projects often lead to better anchoring rules and mooring solutions in the future.

6) IMO Pushes Global Carbon Fee at COP30

During the COP30 climate summit in Brazil, the head of the International Maritime Organization renewed the call for a global emissions fee on shipping. While the political discussions are slow and complicated, this remains one of the biggest topics shaping the future of marine fuel. If such a fee is ever approved, it could influence fuel prices, port infrastructure, and even local environmental regulations. Pleasure boats are not the main target here, but changes in the commercial sector always ripple down to marinas, ports, and boating services — so it’s something cruisers may feel eventually.

7) San Francisco Bay Starts Major Harbour Clean-Up Project

In San Francisco Bay, a large cleanup project has begun near Fisherman’s Wharf. The work focuses on removing contaminated mud left behind from an old manufactured-gas plant. It’s a long process that will continue through the decade, but it’s an important step for one of the world’s most iconic urban sailing areas. For local sailors, this means cleaner waters over time and safer ecosystems around the marinas. Even if you sail far from the US, it’s always nice to see waterfront cities investing in healthier bays — something many of us hope to see more often worldwide.

The Sea Keeps Moving

It doesn’t matter if you’re crossing oceans, sitting quietly in winter storage, or just dreaming about next season — the sailing world keeps changing every week. From new marina projects to ambitious clean-ups and global rallies, there’s always something to follow or learn from.

Thank you for reading this week’s log.

Fair winds until the next one. ⚓

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