From Cabin Walls to Circular Shipping: How C-Loop Is Giving Maritime Materials a Second Life

When I renovated our family cabin, I found fishing nets stuffed into the walls as insulation. My grandfather did that 70 years ago,” says Tore Strand, CEO of C-Loop, a Wilhelmsen group venture.

It is a simple story, but it captures a practical truth that maritime communities have understood for generations: useful materials should not be wasted. What was once common sense in coastal households is now becoming a serious business priority for the global shipping industry.

Every year, the global fleet discards thousands of tons of mooring ropes and other plastic materials. In most cases, these materials end up in landfills or are sent for incineration. For an industry built on durable equipment, this is a poor use of resources. Mooring ropes, for example, are made to withstand saltwater, heavy loads and harsh weather. Even after their first life at sea, the materials still hold value.

This old system is also facing growing pressure. As product responsibility rules become stricter, companies are being asked to take greater accountability for what happens to materials after use. The traditional model of buying, using and discarding is becoming harder to defend.

C-Loop is addressing this challenge by starting with mooring ropes.

Founded in 2023 as a Wilhelmsen group spin-off through an internal venture competition, C-Loop collects used mooring ropes, recycles them and returns the material to the market as new products. The aim is clear: to show that what shipping discards can become the foundation for a stronger circular economy.

“The maritime industry generates huge amounts of valuable materials that are simply thrown away when equipment needs replacement,” says Strand. “It is complete madness. These are high-grade materials built to survive the harshest environments.”

C-Loop’s work is based on a practical idea. Waste is not always waste. In many cases, it is a resource that has not yet found its next use. By making reuse easier than disposal, C-Loop is helping shipping move away from a throwaway culture and toward a lifecycle-driven approach.

This is not only about recycling. It is about changing habits, improving responsibility and building systems that make better use of valuable materials. In a sector with long traditions and high standards, that shift matters.

The fishing nets found in a cabin wall after 70 years tell a larger story. Maritime materials have always been strong, useful and worth preserving. C-Loop is taking that old lesson and applying it to the future of shipping.

Learn more at the official C-Loop website: https://www.c-loop.com/