The initial objectives of the workshop were to share knowledge and create collaboration opportunities. The first hour of the workshop was dedicated to CirclesOfLife (COL). Jorinus Kalis started with an overview of the project, followed by discussions on the developments of the Ship Circular Materials Passport (SCMP) and the Ship Lifecycle Passport (SLP). The presenter, Martin Verboom, substantiated the various initiatives related to the development of material passports and emphasized: 

“Re-apply, do not re-invent!” 

Martin continued on how different initiatives and projects were engaged in the process of adapting the material passport to the maritime industry. One of the key regulations CirclesOfLife focuses on is the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulations (ESPR). The main objective for CirclesOfLife is to define the specifications for the SCMP and the SLP.

The partners of EcoShipYard (ESY) had the opportunity to ask questions and expressed interest in the scope of the passports and the rationale behind developing two separate passports. The SCMP will focus on the individual components of a ship and will serve as a source of information from supply chain, while the SLP will serve as the repository for the complete ship, with all parts and materials, product environmental footprint, hazardous materials and circularity indicators, to enable sustainable decision making over the lifecycle of the ship.

During the second hour of the workshop, ESY presented their project, with a detailed focus on the Shipyard Environmental Performance Index (SEPI). First, Panagiotis Evangelou, project coordinator at ESY, explained the setup of the project and its objectives, which aim to reduce the environmental footprint of shipyards. Next, Marc Bonazountas took the floor and elaborated on their methodology for developing SEPI, which involves conducting life cycle assessments and using emission models. Marc concluded his presentation with an inspiring message: 

“EcoShipYard and CirclesOfLife working together is the same as 1+1=3!” 

During the panel discussion, we explored opportunities for collaboration. Topics included enhancing the competitiveness of the shipping industry in the EU, leveraging overlap in case studies to test results, providing feedback on each other’s findings, and sharing information. Looking ahead, we finalized plans to collaborate on conferences, as we share a common objective: making the maritime manufacturing industry more sustainable and circular! In September, our first joint conference will be held in Brussels. More information will follow soon…