JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #144 - January/February 2022 - 19

Sustainability and materials recycling in the marine industry: What's new?
Fig. 2: NL Comp Ecoracer exhibited at the 2021 Genoa International Boat Show
and between the product
and the context. The marine
products are invented, designed
and manufactured for
different sectors, and used
in multiple contexts: the
wind
assisted
propulsion,
sails design and materials.
A completely new topic that
arise interest from designers,
researchers and builders.
The Smart Wind Assist
Propulsion (SWAP) system
by SMAR Azure, is a novel
design enabling ships to
benefit from significant fuel
savings of up to 20%, offering
improved performance over
competitor technology. The
vertical wing-like structures
are installed on the deck of
the ship, and provide forward
thrust
to the vessel
using
unique high-performance
aerodynamics. Attaining a
balance between costs and
advantages is the real objective
of all forward-looking
research. The challenge is
therefore in preparing technologies
and management
systems that make these
principles feasible.
Biocomposites
Biocomposites are emerging
as a viable alternative to glass
fibre reinforced composites.
The combination of biofibres
such as kenaf, hemp,
flax, jute and sisal with
polymer matrices from both
non-renewable and renewable
resources to produce
composite materials that
can compete with synthetic
composites
requires special
attention, i.e., biofibre-
matrix interface and novel
processing. Natural fibre/
reinforced polypropylene
composites have attained
commercial
attraction
in
automotive industries. Using
natural fibres with polymers
based on renewable resources
will enable many environmental
issues to be solved.
The goal of the Northern
Light Composites
(NLComp)
is to create a new
circular economy for the
yachting industry, making
sustainable sailing boats
with already-established
technologies but innovative
materials. To achieve this,
NLComp are testing natural
fibres, such as flax, bamboo
or cellulose, in a thermoplastic
resin to obtain a new kind
of sustainable composite.
The
thermoplastic
resin
guarantees the complete
recyclability of the composite
at the end of life or
its reuse by thermoshaping.
Additionally, natural fibres
need a lot less energy to be
produced, meaning a giant
reduction of the carbon footprint.
With a smart design
and engineering, NLComp
aim to reduce the weight of
the boats and consequently
reduce the materials used,
in order to satisfy the 3Rs
concept (reduce, reuse and
recycle).
Combined
with
the already-sustainable hull,
they also want to reduce
pollution during navigation,
implementing an all-electric
engine and the use of renewable
energy.
For the marine industry, the
lines of action are prevention
and reduction of use
of non-recyclable materials
Outcome
Sustainability can be
achieved only when the
production and life cycle
of a component is fully
controlled, and from an integrated
design that takes both
the production technology
and the materials to be used
from the very first stages of
product development into
consideration, depending
on the specification product
requests.
Enhancing the themes of ecological
and environmental
sustainability and reflecting
upon the entire production
chain of the composite product
will constitute a fundamental
resource. This is
particularly the case if the
aspects inherent in both
the
production
efficiency
and the functioning and
subsequent disposal of the
product are considered in
N°144 January - February 2022 / jec composites magazine
19
present on-board, the use of
waste to produce energy, as
well as encouraging research
and development of the supply
chain. Studies need to be
done to find new alternative
biocomposites to traditional
composites, such as basalt
and carbon, or the use of
regenerated components.
In Italy, the Sustainability
Committee of Confindustria
Nautica (the Italian industrial
association of boat builders)
is currently working
on a database of alternative
materials to non-recyclable
ones. Confindustria Nautica
has been involved in monitoring
research
activities
and
in studying processes
suited to this need since May
2009 when the guidelines of
the ELB End-of-Life Boats
project were presented.
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #144 - January/February 2022

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