Aister joins BIOSAFIRE European project to promote bio-based and fire-resistant marine materials

Aiming to improve fire safety and reduce environmental impact of used materials in shipbuilding.

Galician company Aister, specializing in aluminium shipbuilding and repair, is actively participating in BIOSAFIRE. Its role focuses on validating the use of these materials in marine applications, a particularly demanding field in terms of fire safety and structural strength.

The company emphasizes the innovation will reduce the weight of vessels, increase the safety of passengers and crew, and advance the sustainability of shipbuilding industry. The combination of bio-based materials with highly fire-resistant designs could become a benchmark in the construction of future ships.

The project seeks to develop a new generation of bio-based flame retardants, made from natural compounds such as lignins and tannins, which could replace conventional, often toxic and polluting, flame retardants. The goal is to achieve 80% bio-based flame retardants while maintaining the same technical performance as current products.

These materials will be tested in real-world applications in five use cases spanning four key sectors: marine, railway, household appliances, and wood coverings.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (INSST) is also participating in the project, which is responsible for assessing the safety of new materials for human health and the environment. The Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) approach will be applied, which incorporates sustainability into all phases of development.

The European Commission estimates the results of BIOSAFIRE could open a market of over $9.5 billion by 2028, of which Europe would capture 25%. Shipsector, along with the other sectors involved, would represent up to 65% of the market potential.

Source: Europa Azul