CirclesOfLife partners recently participated in a session organized by the International Ship and Offshore Structures Congress (ISSC) on materials and fabrication technology, focusing on the implications on sustainability and circularity. ISSC is an international group of experts in shipbuilding and offshore industries, dedicated to analysing the state of the art and the latest technological developments. The group compiles its findings into a public report and discusses them every three years at a congress.
The ISSC2025 Committee IV.2 is focusing on “Materials and Fabrication Technology” and is chaired by Agnes Marie Horn of DNV in Høvik, Norway. You can find the list of committee members and its mandate here: ISSC2025. Currently, the committee is preparing a report that, among others, will cover the following topics:
- Methodologies to assess and compare transparently the environmental friendliness of life cycle processes other than ships’ operation (newbuilding, repair/conversion, end-of-life)
- Methodologies to assess the circularity readiness of materials and components used in ships
- Novel and eco-friendly manufacturing, joining and repair technologies,
- Development of new materials, especially fibre reinforced plastics for lightweight construction,
- Approval processes for new materials and technologies.
Various international and national initiatives address these topics, including the CirclesOfLife project. During the session on September 17th, five pitch presentations were delivered, followed by a discussion.
In the morning, Jorinus Kalis, our project coordinator, opened the session by discussing the Shipyard Environmental Performance Index (SEPI) and the Ship Lifecycle Passport (SLP). One of the points raised was that multiple initiatives are focused on creating a performance index in the maritime industry, and it would be valuable to align these efforts. In the second session, Bastian Brenken from Composites United presented the latest updates on recycling technologies for Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP). This was followed by a presentation by Paul Riesen from Greenboats, who elaborated on material and business model innovations in the maritime industry. One key takeaway was the need for transparency in exchanging lifecycle assessment (LCA) information. However, while sharing the LCA, their technology and business models need to be shared with other stakeholders which poses challenges from a competitive standpoint.
In the afternoon, the presentations continued with Philippe Noury from DNV, who discussed the application of composites in the maritime industry from a class society perspective. He highlighted that the use of composites contributes to lightweight constructions, which in turn reduces ship emissions. DNV is working on classification standards for composites, including 3D printing and thermoplastic composite piping. Following Noury’s presentation, Bastian Brenken returned to discuss the development of a Digital Product Passport, focusing on understanding stakeholder needs and bringing together technologies and requirements to support the maritime industry. The session concluded with a presentation by Romain Benoit, another CirclesOfLife partner, on the Green Marine Europe initiative. The goal of Green Marine is not only to meet current and upcoming regulations but to also actively guide shipyard by reducing their environmental footprint.
The session offered valuable insights into the latest developments concerning the lifecycle of ships and the use of different materials. One promising opportunity for reducing the maritime industry’s environmental footprint is extending the lifetime of ships.
The ISSC congress will take place in September 2025. The proceedings, including the abovementioned report, will be published afterwards on the event’s website.
