NORSK HYDRO ASA 
'We see the maritime industry has increased its focus on sustainable products, material selection and design in recentyears. Electric ferriescarryheavybatteriesand needlighter materials. The CO2 footprint in the industry needs to be reduced and recycling of material hasthereforegained traction. Aluminiumis a good fit,' says Thomas B. Svendsen, Market Manager in Hydro.
Since 2015,Hydro hasdelivered cost-effective and custom-made aluminium solutions for cruise ships, mega-yachts, defense vessels, passenger ferries, and leisure craft,as well as offshore vessels and installations.
Hydro expects to deliver nearly 8,000 tonnesof aluminiumto the maritime industry in 2021.
In recentyears,Hydro has workedwith innovative companies like Arksen, Brim, The Ocean Cleanup, Vita Power and Vaan to discover new ways to include aluminiumin their vessels.
Across the maritime industry, sustainable solutions are also in demand from environmentally conscious cruise passengers. This has led to increased recycling capabilities in smaller leisure vessels andreducing the CO2 emissions from high-speed vessels.
'The immediate environmental focus in the maritime industry is related to direct emissions. Butwe also see increased focus onmaterial usage as well,' says Svendsen.
Greener maritime industry with greener materials
The introduction of stricter environmental requirements for international shipping by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) hasresultedinan expectedgrowing demand for environmental and climate technology in the years to come.
One of the biggest industry challenges today is that products designed and produced are too difficult or expensive to take apart and recycle when they are no longer in use. Hydrohas extensiveexperience in developing cost-effective, efficient and strong solutions for the marine industry.
'We supply aluminiumextrusions and aluminiumsheet for vesselsthat are strong yet light and corrosion-resistant, making them ideal materials for marine applications. Hydro is working systematically to increase the knowledge in the market about the advantages of aluminiumand we see more customers coming to us for support,' says Svendsen.
He adds that by using aluminium, it's also possible to cut the weight to about 50 percent compared tosteel while maintaining the necessary strength. Moreover, aluminiumhas a density around one-third that of steel or copper,making it one of the lightest commercially available metals. The resultant high strength-to-weight ratio makes it an important structural material,allowing increased payloads or fuel savings for transport industries.
The demand for sustainable solutions isexpected to grow in the next couple of years and Hydro isworking on severalupcoming projects. A push from both consumers and governments, together with increased focus across the maritime industry,is expected to lift demand for innovative solutions at sea.
Published: januar 22, 2021
- Hydro Marine & Offshore
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Norsk Hydro ASA published this content on 22 January 2021 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 22 January 2021 15:35:04 UTC
