Ecover has just launched a brand-new product to help protect the environment – the Ecover Heavy Duty Boat Wash.

Launched at the Southampton Boat Show and endorsed by Mike Golding OBE, this new product looks set to revolutionise the boating world. According to Ecover’s owner Jorgen Philip-Sorensen this new product is completely biodegradable, has minimum impact on aquatic life and is phosphate free.

The development of this product was a result of an experience Philip-Sorensen encountered recently in Denmark. Commenting Philip-Sorensen told yachtingworld.com: “I saw how sailors were cleaning their boats in the marinas with really poisonous stuff which killed both fish and plants and everything around it. I thought this can’t be right so we set about developing this new marine cleaning material which we’ve just launched in England.”

Apparently all you need to do is add 90ml into a bucket of cold water (about 8 litres). Scrub the boat with a brush and rinse off with clean water. Although we haven’t yet had a chance to test out the product, we are told it effectively removes dirt, oil and grease and is suitable for use on glassfibre, metal and painted marine surfaces.

Golding commented: “We’ve been driving this new product for a while but I don’t think Ecover realised the size of the market place; it’s huge. It’s such a natural link for us, particularly at this time with the launch of the new boat see previous news story here. If the sailors buy it, the motorboaters will buy it and I think it will go on and on. Everyone wants clean boats so hopefully now it can be done a bit more responsibly.”

The product is now on sale at the Southampton Boatshow at Force 4, Aladdins Cave or Mailspeed chandleries. The recommended retail price is £5.99 for a one litre bottle.