Report : Closed Loop Materials Management

Through three pilot projects and a stakeholder consultation process, SSI set out to investigate and explore the feasibility and value of tracking and tracing the materials used in ship construction and ensuring accountability for the environmental impacts of materials used for shipbuilding.

The key challenge for the work group was to look at how ships could be designed, built, operated and dismantled to deliver better and more efficient recycling of materials and components as well as establishing whether this would increase a ship’s value.

Analysis of construction materials in two new vessels and a cruise ship cabin suggested that well-traced and verifiable materials may increase the constructions value, hedge against future regulatory burdens, and reduce emissions from virgin material production.