Core tips：To mark World Boating Day on 24 May, let’s take a look at the latest business developments in the marine and boating sector, as well as the latest innovations and trends, from materials to manufacturing techniques, not forgetting the drive towards greater
Business news: new contracts, fund raising, measures…
Vabo Composites has signed a multi-year agreement for the supply of lightweight composite hatches and doors for the Anti-Submarine Warfare Frigate (ASWF) of Damen Naval. The composite hatches and doors will be integrated into a leading Dutch naval vessel, reinforcing the company’s long-standing vision of advanced composite solutions for maritime applications. This contract underscores Vabo’s continuous investments in technology and innovation, further solidifying its position as a market leader in maritime composites.
nlcomp®, the innovative startup pioneering sustainable solutions for the composites industry, has successfully closed a funding round exceeding €600,000, marking a significant milestone in its growth and development. The capital increase was led by Samer & Co Shipping as the lead investor, alongside Zero, the cleantech-focused accelerator within CDP Venture Capital’s National Accelerator Network, with a follow-on investment supported by CDP Venture Capital and Zest. Founded in 2020, nlcomp® has rapidly positioned itself as a leader in sustainable innovation, developing advanced materials such as rComposite®. This recyclable composite material has already received DNV’s certification for recycled content and recyclability compliance under ISO 14021:2021 standards. The funds raised through this capital increase, combined with a €504,000 grant from Invitalia under the Smart&Start program, will be allocated to accelerating research and development efforts in new industrial sectors, starting with wind energy, launching rComposite® production at a new industrial facility and expanding international collaborations within the yachting industry.
European Boating Industry (EBI) welcomes the EU Commission’s Single Market Strategy and the specific measures to lighten the load for businesses in the boating industry. The plans to lighten the load on companies, move towards digital-first and strengthen common rules for all EU countries is crucial to support businesses and reduce costs as EBI has long advocated for. The Single Market Strategy follows several of EBI’s key proposals to the EU institutions to reduce administrative burden and improve competitiveness of the boating industry. EBI will now analyse the proposed changes with its members to provide input into the legislative process and looks forward to further EU initiatives level in line with its calls for action for the current legislative mandate.
The French Department of Maritime Affairs, Fisheries and Aquaculture (DGAMPA) has just signed a contract with Michelin for the adoption of its Wisamo retractable sail on a new low environmental footprint patrol boat. This is the first commercial contract to be signed for this wind-propelled wing. The mission of the 100% French trio will be to design, build and equip an ocean-going patrol vessel combining hybrid diesel-electric propulsion and wind assistance with the Wisamo wing (for Wing Sail Mobility). Wisamo contributes to the decarbonisation of maritime transport by improving the environmental footprint of merchant ships through wind propulsion. This new patrol vessel will be used for surveillance of shipping, fisheries control, maritime pollution control, compliance with environmental regulations and assistance and rescue. It will be based in La Rochelle and operated on the Atlantic coast, particularly in the Bay of Biscay, where the Wisamo wing has already been tested for several months in 2023 on the ro-ro MN Pelican, demonstrating the endurance of its system.
The skipper Marc Thiercelin has launched an innovative project: a truly low-carbon Imoca sailboat, using wood and bamboo, designed to meet today’s needs for sustainability and decarbonisation. The project aims to combine high technological performance with environmental considerations by using bio-based materials. Wood, which is being reintroduced into shipbuilding, will be used as the core of the sandwich composite parts. The skins, meanwhile, will be manufactured using bio-based resins and bamboo fibre reinforcements from Cobratex, thereby reducing the environmental impact. By using these innovative materials, the sailboat will emit 70% less CO
2
during its construction while reducing production costs by 45%. This ambitious project proves that sustainable solutions are not only possible but also viable for the marine sector. The Vendée Globe, known as the ‘Everest of the Seas’, has been the ideal event to promote these new eco-friendly technologies. This single-handed, non-stop, non-assisted round-the-world race gave Marc Thiercelin the chance to demonstrate that performance can go hand in hand with environmental considerations.
Candela’s first commercial vessel, the Candela P-12 — with its inaugural unit named
Nova
— has proven a success both in terms of passenger uptake and environmental impact. It entered service in Stockholm’s public transport system in fall 2024 to connect commuters from Tappström (Ekerö center) to Stockholm City Hall in just 30 minutes — compared to about an hour by car or bus, and 45–55 minutes by conventional boats on the same route. The “secret” behind this lies in its unique combination of electric propulsion and hydrofoil technology, allowing it to “fly” above the water surface, which enables higher speeds with far lower energy use. Initially running 5 days a week, it will now operate daily starting in May thanks to its strong performance — recently confirmed by new figures from Region Stockholm — and cost savings. The Candela P-12 already has international customers — from Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project to ferry operators in the US, Asia-Pacific and Europe.
AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, joins forces in the groundbreaking REFEST project, which aims to retrofit traditional fishing fleets with innovative, low-cost technologies to significantly reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Launched on May 1, 2024, and funded under the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030,” the REFEST project seeks to develop scalable solutions capable of reducing emissions by up to 40%. The REFEST consortium comprises 14 experienced academic and industrial partners from 10 countries. The technologies developed will be practical, easily deployable and economically sustainable. AIMPLAS will, on the one hand, work on improving fibre-reinforced composites currently used in the marine industry to produce hull appendages. On the other hand, it will develop novel thermoplastic composites specifically formulated to produce battery box components and comply with the standards governing the marine industry.
The next edition of the Vendée Globe, to be held in 2028, will place particular focus on respect for the environment. “
In order to limit CO₂ emissions linked to the construction of the sailboats, the regulations for the 2028 edition will introduce a “Carbon Cap”. This cap aims to provide a framework for innovation by imposing limits on the emissions generated during the construction of the new IMOCA boats
,” state the ocean race organisers. Committed to this new way of decarbonising the maritime sector, the charity Les P’tits Doudous, which supports children in hospital and its ambassador, sailor Armel Tripon, the composites manufacturer Duqueine and the aircraft manufacturer Airbus have launched a new monohull yacht like those involved in the Vendée Globe. This IMOCA is built using decommissioned carbon fibre supplied by the Airbus Technocentre in Nantes, one of the aims of which is to reduce the volume of waste sent to landfill by 2030. The sailboat represents more than 3 tonnes of materials, 70% of which is re-employed.
Industry leaders have joined forces to revolutionise boat manufacturing with a circular economy model, so that boats can now be built using recycled materials. This collaboration to achieve circularity in boat production, launched in Western France, offers a model for composite sustainability. This initiative unites various global leaders in their field: Groupe Beneteau, world’s leading manufacturer of sailing and motorboats, Veolia, global leader in waste management and environmental services, Composite Recycling, pioneer in recycling composite waste, Arkema, a world player in specialty materials, Owens Corning, pioneer in glass reinforcements innovation, and Chomarat, specialist in technical textiles and composite reinforcements. This collaboration establishes a new benchmark for circular manufacturing in the nautical industry in terms of production, waste collection, recycling, reintegration and reuse.
Produced by Pershing, one of the 7 brands of Ferretti Group, the yacht Pershing GTX116 leverages LFAM technology for some of its main superstructures: air grilles and visor above the windshield are additively produced with the Heron AM system to achieve aesthetically interesting geometries with reduced weight and delivering groundbreaking innovation in the manufacturing process of this vessel. Ferretti Group chose to commission Caracol for the realisation of the first 3D printed air grilles for the Pershing GTX116, as part of its new range of sports yachts. Pershing GTX116 is a 35-m yacht with a sporty nature yet elegant style, which optimises all onboard weights to achieve high performance. The application of Caracol’s Heron AM platform demonstrates how large-format additive manufacturing can effectively be used to revolutionise yachting and luxury boat production, enabling the fabrication of complex superstructural parts with intricate geometries. In this project, Heron AM manufactured key elements, including side air intake grilles and visors, demonstrating its capability to deliver high-performance, customised solutions for the luxury yachting industry.
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