NLcomp spins off Eco Yachts brand for sustainable composite boat development

It has been announced that Eco Yachts, a spinoff of Northern Light Composites (NLcomp, Monfalcone, Italy), the startup that created and patented rComposite fiberglass material, has been formed. Eco Yachts is a boatyard that will produce third party-verified climate-neutral boats.

Eco Yachts recently launches its 30-foot composites-intensive sailing boat Ecoracer30 during The Ocean Race. According to the company, all of its boat models, to be manufactured in Monfalcone, Italy, will be verified under methodologies described by the Green House Gas Protocol, ISO 14067 and PAS2060, and will incorporate NLcomp’s recyclable composite material rComposite. In line with the transparency and sustainability values embodied by the brand, Eco Yachts has publicly released emissions data of the Ecoracer30, along with its offsetting strategy and emission reduction plan. A second Ecoracer30 is currently in production, with delivery scheduled for the end of October 2023.

Eco Yachts won its first prize, an honorable mention in Design Innovation Awards at the Genoa International Boat Show, for “demonstrating what it means to take a prototype and move it into industrial production, using experimental techniques and sustainable materials.”

“After the launch of the Ecoracer30, we believed it was time to introduce a brand dedicated to sustainable boats,” Fabio Bignolini, CEO of NLcomp, says. “We will manufacture these boats by applying the expertise our team gained during the development of rComposite and the production of our first prototypes. In addition to using a recyclable composite material, we have taken a further step towards comprehensive sustainability. This includes the use of recyclable molds, state-of-the-art sails and advanced propulsion systems.”

Eco Yacht’s new model will be a fast cruiser, with a LOA of approximately 12 meters, that will reportedly set a new standard for environmentally friendly sailing. A motor yacht range will also be developed, to be announced in 2024. In addition to recyclable, environmentally materials, equipment and systems on board will be powered by renewable sources (solar, hydraulic and wind energy).

Among the choices that will reduce Eco Yachts’ emissions are partnerships with OneSails (Verona, Italy) and Breton (Castello Di Godego, Italy). OneSails supplies 4T Forte sails, said to be the only recyclable sails on the market. Breton, on the other hand, will guarantee the use of recyclable 3D printed boat molds. For the design of the new fast cruiser, Eco Yachts will rely on the expertise and experience of Matteo Polli, who also designed the Ecoracer30, the first boat to carry the new brand’s logo.

Looking ahead, Bignolini notes that with Eco Yachts, “we will also enter the world of motorboats. We are planning a new line, the first model of which will be a foiling boat with electric propulsion, specially designed as a tender for megayachts. Everything will be designed, engineered and produced in Italy.”

Currently, NLcomp’s patented rComposite technology, available for licensing by any shipyard, is finding applications in various sectors including use in prototype wind turbine blades and components for other industries such as cooling tower elements. A new partnership with Sangiorgio Marine (Genoa) was recently announced, where NLcomp agreed to build components for a new Class40 together with the shipyard, and will assist Edoardo Bianchi’s team in analyzing and assessing the environmental impact of the boats produced.