The European Commission has launched a call for proposals to develop a demonstrator marine fishing vessel equipped with alternative propulsion technologies and innovative energy solutions as it pledges €2,2 million to develop the fishing vessel of the future.
This is a pilot project aiming to significantly improve the energy performance of current fishing vessels, reducing their greenhouse emissions and enhancing the sector’s economic resilience. The project is expected to demonstrate the feasibility of chosen technologies and showcase the results to stakeholders.
The potential benefits are clear – reduced reliance on fossil fuels, making the sector more resilient to price fluctuations and ensuring long-term stability, enhanced economic resilience with lower fuel costs translating into increased financial viability for fishing businesses, and not least, environmental benefits as reduced emissions would significantly contribute to a cleaner ocean and healthier fish populations.
The European Commission states that it aims to deliver on its commitment to further test and demonstrate innovations on fishing vessels, as set out in the Communication on the Energy Transition of the EU Fisheries and Aquaculture sector.
The call is open until 11 June 2024 and the project(s) will be selected by the end of the third quarter of 2024.
