Sunreef Yachts is already a solar electric boatbuilder recognized for its sustainability efforts in the maritime industry but is now taking things a step greener. The company is now integrating recycled PET bottles into its solar electric yacht production process.
Sunreef Yachts has been operating out of Gdansk, Poland, for over 20 years alongside a newer footprint established in the United Arab Emirates. From day one in 2002, Sunreef has been pushing the boundaries of sustainable marine travel, launching the world’s first 74-foot luxury oceangoing catamaran with a flybridge.
Sunreef Yachts currently has hundreds of its boats sailing waters across the globe, showcasing the company’s lineup of sustainable, all-electric propulsion and advanced solar panels. Its current portfolio consists of eco-friendly sailboats and massive solar electric catamarans ranging from 60 to 100 meters in length.
In April 2024, Sunreef introduced a new 40m electric yacht called the Eco Explorer. One month later, Sunreef shared a new sustainability strategy that will integrate hundreds of thousands of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles into the superstructures of its electric yachts.
Sunreef’s electric yacht reuses 600k recycled PET bottles
As part of a new initiative to maximize energy efficiency and, above all else, sustainability, Sunreef Yachts Eco’s R&D team will integrate a structural foam composed of up to 100% recycled PET materials into the production of its solar electric yachts and sailing catamarans.
By integrating this recycled material, Sunreef can achieve even more eco-conscious electric yacht construction practices while furthering sustainability in a maritime segment that quickly embraces electrification.
In addition to being 100% recyclable, Sunreef shared that the recycled thermoplastic core offers additional benefits in electric yachts and catamarans, such as high resistance to process temperatures, exceptional chemical resistance, strong adhesion, and other mechanical properties.
For added perspective on the impact the recycled material can have on the industry, Sunreef said one of its 80-foot sailing catamaran requires about 2.4 tons of the structural foam, equating to approximately 600,000 recycled PET bottles finding a second life at sea within the superstructure rather than floating around as pollution.
This is the kind of news we love sharing with you readers and provides further evidence that large boats can not only be 100% electric but may soon be 100% recyclable.
Author: Scooter Doll
Source: Electrek
