In Germany, a world-first operation is underway to pioneer a near emissions-free recycling of a vessel.
Cuxhaven-headquartered Leviathan is behind the groundbreaking process with a small construction vessel earmarked for the first trial.
The 41 m long HC Hagemann 1 arrived at the Kiel facilities of the German Naval Yards last week where it has been lifted out of the water and placed on a decommissioning site. Leviathan employees will now set about breaking up the ship with cold cutting technology. Cold cutting is a procedure used to cut through a material without using heat or a flame, and without producing sparks. Leviathan says the procedure is nearly totally emissions free.
“The recycled ships are valuable resources for a circular economy with significant savings in CO2 emissions and an increased supply guarantee for the European economy,” the company stated on its site.
The founders of Leviathan have a long track record as surveyors in the maritime industry and have been working for more than 10 years on sustainable recycling technologies for ships.
If proven effective, the new technology could give Europe some much needed further compliant ship recycling options.
