Boat building has lots of unique production processes and the MarineShift360 team had to model all of them to create specific datasets. Once there is a baseline it is possible to start simulating the variables in the production system to increase sustainability of the product. Flexibility of MarineShift360 permits analyzing with various accuracy levels from rough guess to every single nut and bolt. In the end it helps to make the right decisions and avoid self-delusion. For instance, can shipyards be sure of improving their carbon footprint when using bio-based resins shipped from all around the world?
MarineShift360 aligns with ISO 14040:2006 and ISO 14044:2006 standards which prescribe the calculation methods.

The Software offers precise data about the carbon footprint © Marineshift 360

In traditional LCA one must model everything from scratch while MarineShift360 worked with its industry partners to create hybrid data points that permit very quick modelling of the impact. They allow to have some variants that are, for example, useful for representing various lamination techniques. The algorithm combines surface area, raw material weight, and the type of lamination process to ensure the manufacturer takes account for not only the raw material impact, but also the production process itself.

One may think that vacuum infusion would be more sustainable than hand lamination in terms of CO2 footprint but, it is vice versa. The reason is that in the traditional process there is almost no waste other than a few brushes, buckets, and overalls. While vacuum infusion requires extensive use of non-recyclable plastic and can score up to ten times worse than hand lamination.

Case studies

To demonstrate the capabilities of MarineShift360 the developers have teamed with pilot partners to assess the carbon footprint of their vessels. Next to boat manufacturers Williams from Great Britain and Greenboats from Germany it’s the International Monohull Open Class Association (IMOCA) whose 60 ft yachts race around the world participating in Vendee Globe and Ocean Race. There are a total of 35 yachts out there and 13 new boats are currently being built.

“Three years ago, IMOCA started to put in place its sustainability rules and we tried to understand how our boats can prepare themselves for the transition we are going through,” says association’s sustainability officer Imogen Dinham-Price. “In 2020 we decided that all IMOCA new builds must go through life cycle analysis. It was key to our tactic and our sustainability strategy. We formed cooperation with MarineShift360 and got an internal LCA person to collect data coming through from the suppliers. There are 13 different studies going on. We highlighted key areas and focused on the structural part of the construction — the rudder, the mast, the foils, and the hull — excluding fittings, sails, electronics, and hydraulics from the study. We analyzed over 100 different parts and put them through MarineShift360”.

Greenboats founder Friedrich Deimann teamed up with MarineShift360 for his Flax 27 boat © Kerstin Zillmer

It is a rather large case study with 34 yards from 6 countries involved. Initial results show that the construction of the moulds has 1.2 times more impact than the construction of the platform. They weigh around 12 t and are equivalent to 151.1 t of CO2. Also, the ratio of waste and final components while building the platform is 67,8% to 32,2%. It means that to be more sustainable IMOCA yachts must be built either with recyclable moulds, or without moulds at all.

Earlier 11h Hour Racing performed LCA for yachts built in 2021 that provided a few baseline elements for comparison. Let us have a look at the numbers. It took 34.5 t of raw material to build an 8.6 t boat; plugs and molds accounted for nearly 30% of overall carbon footprint; 1.2 t of plastic waste was generated purely from backing sheets on prepreg carbon fiber; 32% of GHG emissions could be avoided, if 100% renewable energy was used across the value chain.