Spanish plastics technology centre Aimplas (Valencia; www.aimplas.net) is participating in a project to develop more resistant and environmentally sustainable materials for marine fenders. Ship-to-berth fenders are currently made with 100% virgin HDPE.

The new materials will comprise up to 50% recycled content and be fully recyclable. UV light and heat are the primary causes of the fenders deteriorating, so work is underway to ensure that the material does not degrade by more than 30%, and to improve impact resistance by at least 20%. In addition, the antifouling properties of HDPE will be improved through using environmentally friendly additives.

The materials could also be used in buoys and buoyancy systems, markers, infrastructure, navigation aids, footbridges and fish farms.

Other partners in the project, called “Durpromat”, are Spanish plastics converter Durplastics (Alicante; www.durplastics.com) and the microbiology and ecology department of the Universitat de Valencia (www.uv.es). The project is being funded by the Valencian Innovation Agency (AVI, Alicante / Spain; www.innoavi.es).

Durplastics specialises in extruded PE and PP semi-finished products for multiple applications in the automotive, construction, shipbuilding, chemical, food, textile, galvanising, machinery and gears sectors.