The nautical industry is designing new coverings to reduce plastic
The nautical industry is designing new coverings to reduce plastic
To carry out painting and repair work on vessels, it is now essential, technically, legally, and environmentally, to fully or partially enclose and cover the vessel, in order to avoid contaminating either the environment or nearby boats during sanding or painting work. In this way, the vessel under repair is isolated from the outside environment with the installation of heating, air extraction, and air filtering equipment, creating a controlled indoor environment that allows work to be carried out, especially painting. The main problem with current coverings is that the plastics used are single-use. In fact, they cannot be reused under any circumstances, nor are they recyclable, as they become deformed during installation and due to sun exposure. Another issue with plastic is that it must be handled in enormous, heavy rolls, which makes their handling dangerous and complex for workers, especially on windy or rainy days, when installing these large plastic sheets becomes directly unfeasible.
Tested at Astilleros de Mallorca
The new system consists of modular panels made of reusable rigid material—galvanized iron in the units tested at Astilleros de Mallorca. The use of these panels will allow installations of different sizes, adapting their shape to the type and size of the vessel. All of this material can be stored and reused dozens or even hundreds of times on different boats and for different jobs, without generating waste.
Aesthetically, the new modular panel coverings also improve the visual impact compared to white plastic, as the new modular coverings can imitate, for example, the appearance of wood or brick. In addition, there is less risk of workplace accidents, since installing the modules is much simpler. Two people can place and connect one panel to another without using tools or performing dangerous physical tasks. They can be installed in half the time compared to plastic, as each panel weighs only 20 kilos and is about three meters long, manageable between two people, much more so than the long and heavy plastic rolls currently used, which require dangerous tools such as cutting equipment and heat guns for installation.
In short, this is a step forward by Undercover Solutions and Astilleros de Mallorca to reduce or eliminate single-use plastic in the global vessel repair industry. The new modular covering project places the repair industry of the Port of Palma at the forefront of innovation and the move toward an economy based on the reuse of materials and equipment.