Easy workability and its properties like chemical and corrosion resistance, imperviousness to magnetism, and tendency for plastic deformation make aluminium a strong option for boat building. This means that you get better mileage for the same quantity of fuel from an aluminium boat. Aluminium boats are more stable and seaworthy and can travel faster due to reduced weight. In addition, it is completely recyclable at the end of its life cycle and hence is a sustainable material for boats.Īluminium is preferred by a lot of boat manufacturers on account of its being lightweight, especially when compared to steel. This has reduced the importance of steel in boat building to an extent, although it is still used extensively for larger ships.įrom the point of view of sustainability, steel has a practically airtight production process that produces minimal constructional waste. However, in the wake of the development of new composite materials, better and cheaper alternatives are being used for manufacturing boats of equal size and strength but considerably lesser weight. Its high strength, durability, resistance to abrasion, and relatively low cost are some of the main reasons why steel is widely used in the industry. Steel is one of the most popular materials used for boats and has consistently been the material of choice for the past century. Let us speak about each of these in greater detail. In today’s world, the four main materials used for building boats, when we talk at the level of mass manufacturers, are steel, aluminium, fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP), and polyethylene. Today, we address the different kinds of materials used in boat building and their relative advantages and disadvantages in terms of sustainability. Some of the principal ways of increasing sustainability are by using eco-friendly boat material and improving the quality of fuels used. In case of boats, this is true, quite literally! In such a scenario, the chief concern is to design and manufacture boats with a high sustainability value. The sustainability requirements are especially significant today, given the severe levies for rulebreakers and more importantly, because of the individual sense of responsibility towards environmental conservation. We have previously seen how ship design has evolved over the centuries, thanks to global events and environmental regulations. Of these, the design process is the first and the most important step of the cycle. The common process of boat manufacturing involves fixed steps, such as, design, procurement of material, fabrication, surface preparation, assembly, painting, outfitting, safety compliance checks, testing, and delivery. The increase in demand for faster, better, and safer travel across the seas has inspired engineers and boat designers to try numerous developments in ship design to increase overall efficiency. Global trade is one of our chief sources of revenue, facilitated by ships plying across international waters. India has grown by leaps and bounds as a maritime power in the world. WHY CHOOSE SHM ? LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT LIFE AT SHM DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIONS PURPOSES AND VALUES GRADUATES AND INTERNSHIPS SEARCH AND APPLY