Foam from recycled PET bottles integrated into yacht’s structure

It has been a long time since Polish Sunreef Yachts started working on energy efficiency and sustainability across all aspects, from integrating solar panels into the hull to using new materials

As part of the Sunreef Yachts Eco initiative, the shipyard's research and development team is integrating recycled PET bottles into the production process for the composite superstructures of the yachts. 

This innovative material is structural foam, made of up to 100% recycled plastic bottles. Apart from the obvious advantages of recycling, this kind of thermoplastic core offers numerous benefits. This includes great mechanical properties like high resistance to external forces, resistance to temperatures, exceptional chemical resistance and excellent adhesion with other materials.

It is particularly important that the foam is fully recyclable, too. Building an 80-feet sailing catamaran requires approximately 2.4 tons of this foam core, which is equivalent to recycling around 600000 PET bottles. 

According to Sunreef Yachts, along with the natural fibre composites introduced earlier, the new material is another milestone in the shipyard’s ongoing effort to redefine the standards of environmentally responsible yacht construction.