Three Italian companies with different histories, skills and experiences have teamed up for an ambitious project on sustainable innovation in leisure boating. The LIFE (Leisureboat Innovation For Environment) project was born in response to a call of the Spoke 3 – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (membro del Centro Nazionale per la Mobilità Sostenibile – CNMS) on the theme “Waterways”, on the sustainable development of composite structural components for mobility. Micad, Comav and SPIN360 pooled their respective expertise to develop a prototype leisureboat with reduced environmental impact.

The players

Since more than 15 years, Micad is active in structural engineering, architecture and naval design. Its strategy is research and innovation driven with a focus on environmental issues. The extensive experience in the yachting industry and the flexibility of a dynamic and multiskills structure, enable Micad to work on series models for major shipyards, as well as on one-off ones developed directly with yacht owners

Supplier to some of the leading Italian and international shipyards, Comav is specialized in CNC (computerized numerical control) and in the production of fiberglass models and molds, Activities take place at its three locations in Piedmont and Friuli Venezia Giulia. Continuous improvement and a focus on quality of products & process are the company’s founding principles.

SPIN360 is a consulting firm specialising in sustainable innovation and development across multiple industries. For more than two decades it has supported companies in defining and implementing sustainability and compliance strategies. The science-based approach is declined in all business areas and encompasses the entire production chain allowing SPIN360 to establish itself in different industries, working with the world’s leading luxury brands, and with different sectors such as leather, textile, automotive, and interior design.

“This is the first project we are working on together,” says Federico Brugnoli, founder and CEO of SPIN360, “and our collaboration stems from the synergy of skills and the need to respond in the most appropriate way to the CNR’s call“.

The project

The LIFE (Leisureboat Innovation For Environment) project foresees the creation of a prototype motorboat with reduced environmental impact. Sustainabillity is the guiding thread of the project, impacting product and process. The whole life-cycle is considered: the boat, meant as the final product, but also all equipments needed to realize it (e.g. the molds). In this context, the rigorous measurement of impact is an integral part of LIFE. Finally, consistently with the principles of sustainable development, a transparent and comprehensible communication aims not only to promote the project, but also to raise public awareness of sustainable development’s issues. “Obtaining the call’s funds allowed us to go beyond market’s logic, keeping the focus on reducing the impact,” continues Davide Lattuchella, founding partner of Comav, together with his brother Matteo. “Having said that, the project’s sustainability concerns also its economic viability. On this matter, sales and marketing issues will be disclosed at a later stage and according to further developments“.

The product

LIFE’s goal is to produce the prototype of a motor boat in the 8-12 meters range. Once the project completed, it will be possible to move on to the production and marketing phases.

Although the exact positioning will be defined at a later stage, the final product will consist of a 10 meter boat, powered by thermic inboard propulsion, with underdeck space to accommodate 4 people. The scouting and testing of innovative materials and processes took into account life-cycle durability, but also end-of-life issues, with emphasis on disassembly for recycling. Durability is thus guaranteed by ecodesign and materials, with the aim of going beyond fashions’ effemerity. As Amedeo Migali, founder and Managing Director of Micad explains : “Boat design integrates structural needs with market trends, following the principle that environmental impact also passes through aesthetic sustainability. The ability to go beyond fashions while remaining relevant over time is one of the cornerstone of sustainable design“.

Impact

The impact of the project takes into consideration all stakeholders and the three pillars of the Triple Bottom Line (People, Profit and Planet), with an accent on transparency and credibility of communication.

The economic interest of the project stems from the potential exploitation of LIFE for the production and subsequent sale of a series of boats with reduced environmental impact and consistent with market needs. Thus, this is not a concept boat, rather a product intended for commercialization. In this perspective, it will likely generate job creation and consequent economic value for stakeholders. For the 3 partners, the project will enable further development of in-house skills, resulting in competitive and economic advantage, but also benefiting customers and the nautical sector in general. Indeed, the small size of this sector, often limits its capacity for technological and scientific advancement. Any increase in knowledge, especially in the area of sustainable development, represents a collective opportunity.

Finally, from the environmental point of view, reducing environmental impact is the constant priority at all stages of the project and covers the entire life-cycle. More details in this regard will be provided at the conclusion of the scouting and testing phase and will be supported by rigorous measurements, consistent with the goals of credibility and transparency.

For media inquiries: Francesca Goi – goi@601consulting.com.