Hydro renewed its partnership with Vaan Yachts BV, a Dutch yacht builder. Building on their collaboration over the past five years, the two companies signed a letter of intent to develop high-recycled-content sheet material for Vaan’s premium catamarans. The aim of this agreement is to chart a new course for circularity in the yachting business.
“Hydro is determined to take the helm in the green aluminum transition, but to decarbonize the value chain and shape the market for low-carbon aluminum we need to partner up with forward leaning and likeminded customers,” said Hanne Karine Simensen, executive vice president of Hydro Aluminium Metal. “Our partnership with Vaan is a great opportunity for us to develop new low-carbon solutions and help them realize their vision of a circular product line. We are rocking the boat to promote sustainability in yachting.”
International awareness of the need for responsible disposal of recreational boats is increasing. In the European Commission’s Study on Nautical Tourism from 2016, end-of-life boats are mentioned as an environmental threat and one of the main challenges for the nautical industry. The study indicates that an estimated 80,000 recreational boats reach the end of their life cycle each year in the European Union alone. However, only a fraction is recycled, partly due to the complexity of dismantling craft mainly made of composite materials (like fiberglass), for which there is currently no effective recycling mechanism.
Vaan Yachts, founded by Igor Kluin and Nienke van‘t Klooster in 2016, is focused on creating luxury sailing catamarans, while operating on the principles of circular economy and sustainability. Their yachts are designed to minimize environmental impact without compromising on comfort and performance. Therefore, the company is focused on using only recycled and recyclable materials, compatible with a responsible lifestyle and having minimal impact on the planet.
“At Vaan, we use aluminium for our catamarans not just for its strength and low maintenance, but because it’s fully recyclable,” noted Igor Kluin, co-founder and CEO of Vaan Yachts. “Our yachts contribute to a more sustainable future without compromising on performance, quality or comfort. When sailing with Vaan, we want to ensure the only footprint you leave is the one on the beach.”

Aluminum can be remelted infinitely without loss of its properties, which — along with its lightness, rigidness, and corrosion resistance — makes it ideal for marine applications. Each Vaan yacht contains 6,000–10,000 kg of aluminum in the form of both rolled sheet and extrusions, supplied by Hydro. The company’s low-carbon aluminum comes with a proof of origin that provides both batch traceability and a documented carbon footprint.
When using a high proportion of recycled content in aluminum, the main challenge is to put together a very precise mixture of scrap qualities that meet the specific alloy requirements of the intended end product. Hydro has partnered up with select customers to drive innovation and explore the application of low-carbon aluminum solutions across industries.
Under the new agreement Hydro will work with Vaan Yachts to develop sheet material containing the highest share of recycled post-consumer scrap that is practically achievable. The aim is to achieve a carbon footprint of maximum 2 kg CO2e/kg Al by 2025 — around 7.5 times lower than the world average in primary aluminum production.
“Our partnership with Vaan is based on an uncompromising approach to responsible sourcing and a willingness to pioneer new solutions,” said Simensen. “When we stay on this course, we can increase the impact of our efforts and make a real difference. Vaan shows how niche companies can make waves to change how we think about circularity and sustainable living in the larger context.”