Aluminium sails in the deep blue sea
UK-based Arksen is a unique company designing and building marine exploration vessels in aluminium with an eye on sustainability and ocean conservation. The first ship in their fleet is currently under construction on the Isle of Wight in collaboration with Hydro.
Jim Mair is Technical Director with Arksen. His background is in design and production of commercial vessels built to operate in harsh environments. He is currently overseeing construction of the ‘Arksen 85’, an aluminium ship capable of roaming the world.
Arksen is targeting adventurous owners who are committed to ocean conservation and research. It is also aiming for a more-sustainable material and a partner committed to sustainability. They chose Hydro, which produces aluminium with renewable energy from solar, wind, and hydropower.
Mair recently joined Hilde Kallevig, Head of Brand & Marketing in Hydro, who has been engaged in the collaboration between the two companies to discover how aluminium can help the maritime industry be more sustainable, in a Hydro Talks podcast.
“The Arksen range was developed to answer a need for more yachts in the world to take part in ocean conservation,” Mair explains. “Our vessels are designed to go anywhere, however remote. More important, it’s for yacht owners who have an ambition of doing their bit for the environment by investing in a product that takes a more circular approach.”
Aluminium is ideal for marine use, as it is light yet strong and extremely corrosion resistant – as well as infinitely recyclable.
That last quality will come in handy when the ‘Arksen 85’ reaches the end of its useful life, though the company says that probably won’t be for at least 50 years. View the progress of the ship and learn more about Arksen and aluminium on the Arksen website.
You can hear more in the Hydro Talks podcast, “Social responsibility and the global company” and view other topics on the Hydro Talks page, where you will find links to Spotify and Apple
The podcast Hydro Talks sets out to explore the modern dilemmas for industry and society. How can we create a more viable society? How can we produce better while consuming less? What should investors expect? What kind of technology and innovation can we implement to work smarter? In Hydro Talks we try to make sense out of these dilemmas. Remember to subscribe!