MB92 Group & Pinmar Collaborate to Reduce Plastic Waste During Refits

MB92 Group, the world’s leading superyacht refit, repair, and maintenance company with facilities in Spain and France, together with Pinmar, part of GYG Ltd, the world’s premier superyacht service and supply group, announce a pioneering sustainability initiative in collaboration with the Barcelona Port Authority.

A state-of-the-art 200m2 plastic recycling centre has been commissioned in the Port of Barcelona to manage the recycling of all waste plastic generated during refit projects at MB92 Group’s facilities and other Pinmar facilities. Financed by an MB92 Group investment with additional support from Pinmar, the centre will feature a modular system from KITECH recycling solutions, creating the capacity to process over 100 tons of waste plastic each year.

This development is the result of an extensive research project spanning over 12 months. Led by MB92 Group and Pinmar, and working closely with leading recycling consultants, materials experts, and equipment manufacturers, the objective was to determine the most sustainable way to continue to deliver the high-quality standards required on refit projects while reducing overall plastic waste throughout both companies.

It was previously the case that paint contamination encountered during a refit rendered any plastic used as unsuitable for recycling. However, the latest technological advances in recycling equipment allow for environmentally friendly, waterless, and non-chemical cleaning using physical manipulation and infrared filtration to decontaminate plastic safely. The equipment produces shredded plastic flakes, which can then be recycled into materials for a wide range of industrial uses.

The introduction of the new recycling centre will be another important contribution for Pinmar and MB92 towards their sustainability goals, enabling a significant reduction in the carbon footprint used during waste processing.

“We have focused a lot of attention on waste management over the last few years and have made real progress in areas such as waste classification, as well as identifying ways to extend the life of materials," said Marc Hervás, MB92 Group Sustainability Manager. "For example, we have implemented a methodology to identify plastic protection for re-use, reducing consumption. We are also working closely with local circular economy projects at both sites to upcycle and give new life to certain materials. This recycling centre initiative is another example of how collaboration can lead to positive solutions. We are excited to see how it performs and look forward to sharing results and details of an ambitious second stage of the project .”

Remy Millott, GYG CEO said, “I am extremely excited by this important initiative, we carried out extensive research to explore the different materials and options available to replace plastic tenting, and the results were very conclusive. When treated properly, plastic is a highly efficient material which can be used multiple times and provides the performance and safety characteristics required for the important superyacht refit projects MB92 and Pinmar undertake. Having full visibility and control of the plastic lifecycle from beginning to end is key and provides transparency and accountability throughout the recycling process.”