We are excited to launch the first webinar about sustainable shipbuilding and the implementation of newly developed tools. Focussing on a green and competitive industry. In this article we provide the context of the project and outline the main points of the webinar.

This initial webinar will explore the meaning and importance of circularity and sustainability throughout a ship’s entire lifecycle. In this context, the key developments of the CirclesOfLife project will be addressed and explained.

Feel invited: Monday, June 23, 2025 (14:00-15:30) online

Click to register for the Informative webinar CirclesOfLife

Stakeholders in the maritime supply chain must comply with environmental regulations. We will guide you trough the implications of evolving EU regulations. These will impact four criteria: technical, social, environmental and financial. CirclesOfLife can support shipyards in becoming more future-proof by monitoring their environmental footprint and enhancing circularity within the maritime supply chain, in the non-operational phase.

Speakers at the webinar:

• Jorinus Kalis – Development Manager at Damen Shipyards
• Antidia Citores – General Manager of Green Marine Europe association
• Michael Hübler – R&D Manager Center of Maritime Technologies
• Matthias Krause – R&D Manager Center of Maritime Technologies
• Benedetta Mantoan – Policy Officer at NGO Shipbreaking Platform
• Martin Verboom – Development Engineer Sustainability at Damen
• Rosanne van Houwelingen – Innovation project manager at Netherlands Maritime Technology

Consortium of professionals

The CirclesOfLife consortium is a broad consortium spread over the EU including the entire maritime chain. As professionals – from ship designers to builders and shipyards, associations, and knowledge institutions, we collaborate to meet future standards and EU regulations such as ESRS, CSRD, Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulation (ESPR) and ISO 59000. An important added value is the connection between science (theory) and industry (practice).

As we speak, we are developing guidelines, tools, and share knowledge among one another. We will share our developing results with the participants of the webinar and hope to meet you there. The webinar offers attendees an opportunity to share their vision and provide feedback on the CirclesOfLife project, helping shape a sustainable future for the maritime industry. The ultimate objective of the whole project is to drive the development of a competitive, future-proof, and sustainable European shipbuilding industry.

EU-funded project

CirclesOfLife is supported by the European Horizon programme as a project aimed at reducing emissions at shipyards and enhancing circularity throughout the maritime chain. Once the CirclesOfLife project is completed, shipyards can calculate and improve their environmental footprint, and maritime stakeholders understand what is required to have the insights needed to make better circular decisions.

Competitiveness

Stakeholders in the maritime supply chain must, as mentioned, comply with environmental regulations. However, compliance alone is not the only priority—some stakeholders aim to go beyond regulatory requirements by optimizing their shipbuilding processes and identifying key areas for improvement.

The development of the Shipyard Environmental Performance Index (SEPI) provides shipyards with a valuable tool to monitor the environmental impact of their shipbuilding processes. This includes both inflows and outflows, such as energy, waste, water, and emissions. By analysing the monitored results, shipyards can identify critical hotspots for improvement and take steps to reduce their environmental footprint and improve future competitiveness at the same time.

Value to join stakeholder community

The value of joining CirclesOfLife on its sustainability and circular developments lies in a collaborative environment addressing the circular issues of the maritime sector from multiple perspectives across the maritime chain.

Learn how CirclesOfLife is making the shipping industry more circular and sustainable — and how you, as a stakeholder, can help turn research into real-world impact in the industry

Rosanne van Houwelingen, webinar developer

Webinar outline 14:00-15:30 hrs

1.  The concepts of sustainability & circularity in the maritime sector will be explained in the context of regulations, the impact on all the stakeholders in the maritime supply chain (design, building, operation, and end-of-life dismantling) and the Green Marine Certification Scheme.

2. As developments of one of the results of CirclesOfLife, the 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘆𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝘅 (SEPI) will be presented. The index focuses on the environmental footprint of processes in shipbuilding, repair and recycling, taking into account all the various activities that are conducted at the ship building, repair and maintenance and recycling yards, captured in a generic SEPI yard business process model.

3. The initial outline for the blueprint of the 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 (SCMP) and the 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 (SLP) will be introduced. The passports are developed by applying existing and emerging product passport initiatives and standards to the maritime sector, including ISO 59000, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), and the Digital Product Passport (DPP). The Ship Circular Material Passport (SCMP) is based on the manufacturing bill of materials, which provides essential information for each component. The Ship LCA Passport (SLP) will serve as the passport for the entire vessel, incorporating the life cycle assessment and circularity potential.

4. Based on the results, 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 will be developed to ensure the connection between theory and the industry itself. They will provide support to the industry to translate the results within CirclesOfLife to practical matters. During the webinar, the objective and set-up of the guide and an example of a best practice will be shared.  

5. At the end of the webinar, a 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 will be held, offering attendees the opportunity to ask questions to the speakers.

Got interested?
Register here to join our informative webinar on sustainable and circular shipbuilding in the EU