Building on their collaboration over the past five years, Hydro and Vaan have signed a letter of intent to develop sheet material for Vaan’s premium catamarans containing the highest share of recycled post-consumer scrap that is practically achievable. The aim is a carbon footprint of maximum 2 kilo CO2e per kilo aluminium by 2025, around 7.5 times lower than the world average in primary aluminium production.
“Hydro is determined to take the helm in the green aluminium transition, but to decarbonize the value chain and shape the market for low-carbon aluminium we need to partner up with forward leaning and likeminded customers. Our partnership with Vaan is a great opportunity for us to develop new low-carbon solutions and help them realize their vision of a circular product line. We are rocking the boat to promote sustainability in yachting,” says Hanne Karine Simensen, Executive Vice President of Hydro Aluminium Metal.
An estimated 80,000 recreational boats reach the end of their life cycle in Europe annually. With no effective mechanism in place to recycle hulls made of mostly composite materials like fiberglass, the disposal of decommissioned boats poses severe environmental challenges. Vaan Yachts’ company philosophy is anchored in the determination to create a completely circular sailing solution using only recycled and recyclable materials, compatible with a responsible lifestyle and having minimal impact on the planet.
“At Vaan, we use aluminium for our catamarans not just for its strength and low maintenance, but because it’s fully recyclable. Our yachts contribute to a more sustainable future without compromising on performance, quality or comfort. When sailing with Vaan, we want to ensure the only footprint you leave is the one on the beach,” says Igor Kluin, co-founder and CEO of Vaan Yachts.
Aluminium can be remelted infinitely without loss of the properties that make it ideal for marine applications, lightness, rigidness and corrosion resistance. Each Vaan yacht contains 6,000-10,000 kg of aluminium originating from Hydro, both rolled sheet and extrusions. Hydro’s low-carbon aluminium comes with a proof of origin that provides both batch traceability and a documented carbon footprint.
“Our partnership with Vaan is based on an uncompromising approach to responsible sourcing and a willingness to pioneer new solutions. When we stay on this course, we can increase the impact of our efforts and make a real difference. Vaan shows how niche companies can make waves to change how we think about circularity and sustainable living in the larger context,” says Simensen.
- Founded by Igor Kluin and Nienke van ‘t Klooster in 2016, Dutch company Vaan Yachts, is focused on creating luxury sailing catamarans while operating on the principles of circular economy and sustainability. Their yachts are designed to minimize environmental impact without compromising on comfort and performance.
- International awareness of the need for responsible disposal of recreational boats is increasing. In the European Commission’s Study on Nautical Tourism from 2016, end-of-life boats are mentioned as an environmental threat and one of the main challenges for the nautical industry, indicating that at least 80,000 boats reach their “end-of-life” each year in the European Union alone. However, only a fraction is recycled, partly due to the complexity of dismantling craft mainly made of composite materials.
- Aluminium is infinitely recyclable without loss of the properties that make it an important enabler for the green transition. Post-consumer aluminium scrap has lived a past life as beverage cans, windows, car parts or other consumer products, and comes with a carbon footprint close to zero since emissions have already been accounted for. This is why recycling more post-consumer scrap is vital to accelerate emission cuts.
- When using a high proportion of recycled content in aluminium, the main challenge is to put together a very precise mixture of scrap qualities that meet the specific alloy requirements of the intended end product. Hydro has partnered up with select customers to drive innovation and explore the application of low-carbon aluminium solutions across industries.
Published: October 9, 2024
