Creating an Industrial Symbiosis with Ship-Generated Waste

Abstract

Sustainable practices are becoming more important in many industries as demand grows and resources become limited. Since one answer for establishing sustainable industries is to shift from a linear economy to a circular economy, examples of industrial symbiosis have become more prominent. Industrial symbiosis, a circular economic model that can help decarbonize industries, is one viable remedy for the negative effects on the environment. The maritime industry can have a significant role to play in this approach with all the waste generated on ships. The aim of this study is to theoretically design a model that will evaluate the suitability of the ships participating in an industrial symbiosis with the waste they generate. First, it was determined which of the wastes generated onboard ships could be included in an industrial symbiosis, and then it was calculated how much of these wastes could be supplied in a given time frame. Finally, the areas in which these wastes can be used as raw materials are specified.