The EU-funded project addresses the growing need to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in traditional fishing vessels. It focuses on retrofit requirements for fishing vessels, environmental and biodiversity impact assessments, battery design and sensor integration, and economic and social evaluations.
AIMPLAS
Launched on May 1, 2024, and funded under the EU Mission "Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030," the REFEST project seeks to develop scalable solutions capable of reducing emissions by up to 40%. The technologies developed will be practical, easily deployable and economically sustainable, making a significant impact on small fishing fleets.
The REFEST consortium comprises 14 experienced academic and industrial partners from 10 countries, including Italy, Spain, Turkey, Lithuania, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, and Poland. This group brings multidisciplinary expertise from the maritime, scientific, technological and industrial sectors to develop concrete and innovative solutions.
AIMPLAS contributes its expertise in materials research and innovation, ensuring success in meeting European environmental standards.
The company aims to improve fibre-reinforced composites currently used in the marine industry to produce hull appendages. A commercially available thermoplastic resin will be modified to reduce the effect of seawater ageing in composites and increase the compatibility of the manufactured composite with the selected paintings and coatings. Additionally, and in collaboration with the project’s partners CALSENS and RISE, AIMPLAS will integrate optical and piezoelectric sensors in the proposed composites so that a range of pre-defined variables, such as the hydrodynamic pressure or the mechanical performance, can be measured in real-time.
It will also develop novel thermoplastic composites, in UD-Tape format, specifically formulated to produce battery box components and comply with the standards governing the marine industry, particularly those regarding fire protection and electromagnetic interference.
The REFEST project has initiated important networking activities and synergies with other EU-funded initiatives in the maritime and environmental sectors. These collaborations are expected to enhance the impact of the REFEST solutions and foster further innovation through exchanging knowledge, technologies, and best practices.