Yanmar Sunset Marina in Shiga Prefecture, Japan, has been awarded the internationally recognised Blue Flag environmental certification for the second consecutive year, reaffirming its commitment to sustainable marina operations and environmental stewardship on Lake Biwa.
The Blue Flag certification is one of the world’s most trusted international environmental certifications for beaches and marinas. Administered based on rigorous standards covering environmental education, environmental management, water quality, safety, and services, the certification recognizes facilities that demonstrate a high level of sustainability and operational excellence.
In 2025, Yanmar Sunset Marina became the first lake marina in Asia to receive the Blue Flag certification. Its continued certification for 2026 reflects the ongoing evaluation and recognition of its environmental initiatives and operational practices. Located on Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest freshwater lake, the marina has been recognised for successfully balancing environmental conservation with safe and comfortable marina operations in accordance with international standards.
In addition to receiving the certification for the second consecutive year, Yanmar Sunset Marina was recognized as the leading best practice among 13 case studies submitted by Blue Flag certified organizations in the Northern Hemisphere for the theme of “Promoting the Circular Economy” in the Blue Flag Good Practice Competition.
The Blue Flag Good Practice Competition is an annual competition organized by FEE, which sets a theme each year and selects up to two initiatives from each country. This year, the marina was praised for its efforts to collect aquatic plants from Lake Biwa and reusing them in agricultural land, successfully balancing problem-solving with value creation.
Under the concept of a “resource-circulating marina,” Yanmar Sunset Marina has implemented a variety of sustainability initiatives, including the use of solar power generation, optimized energy management, and the installation of wind direction and speed monitoring systems to support safe navigation. The marina has also introduced environmentally conscious resource circulation practices tailored to local environmental challenges, such as composting aquatic plants collected from Lake Biwa and food waste generated by the on-site hotel for reuse within the facility.
In addition to its facilities and systems, the marina places strong emphasis on the environmental awareness and day-to-day actions of each staff member. Continuous operational improvements carried out through daily activities have contributed to maintaining the Blue Flag certification. Even after obtaining certification, the marina continues to review and enhance its operations through annual application and evaluation processes to further improve operational quality.
Yanmar Sunset Marina will continue promoting marina operations that harmonize with the natural environment of Lake Biwa while meeting global standards for environmental responsibility, safety, and service quality. Through these efforts, the marina aims to contribute to the realization of a more sustainable future together with the local community.
