Hawaii startup builds 3D-printed Navy boat using volcanic basalt composite

A Hawaii startup, Voltage Vessels, has built a six-meter Navy-style RHIB using a large-format 3D printer and a basalt-reinforced recycled PETG composite.

The boat was submitted for U.S. maritime defense evaluation, with the company pitching it as a faster way to produce hulls and spare parts.

The local-printing approach could support distributed naval logistics in the Indo-Pacific, including remote areas such as Guam and the Philippines.

If adopted, it may reduce reliance on traditional shipyards and speed replacement of military boats in contested or remote theaters.