On 1 July 2026, the EU-funded projects REFEST and HY2FISH came together for a joint hybrid meeting, held from 11:30 to 13:30 CEST, to explore how the two initiatives can exchange knowledge and jointly advance the transition toward cleaner, more sustainable fishing fleets across Europe.
The session was hosted on the occasion of REFEST’s Month 25 General Assembly, which offered the perfect opportunity to bring the two consortia together in a single, dedicated exchange.
A Shared Mission: Decarbonising the Fishing Sector
Both REFEST and HY2FISH are working toward a common goal: reducing the environmental footprint of the fishing industry through innovative technologies and solutions. REFEST retrofits traditional fishing vessels with low-CAPEX, easy-to-deploy solutions, including hydrodynamic hull appendages, air lubrication systems, hybrid electric propulsion, optical fibre sensors, advanced battery packs, and flexible solar panels, aiming to cut fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by up to 40%. HY2FISH focuses on demonstrating hydrogen-based hybrid propulsion, advanced energy management and innovative retrofit solutions for fishing vessels, paving the way towards zero-emission fisheries.
Recognising the complementary nature of their work, the two projects organised this joint session to identify concrete synergies, from shared technical challenges to opportunities for aligning dissemination and market uptake strategies.
Active engagement from industry and the European Commission
The meeting brought together a diverse audience, including representatives from industry stakeholders and members of the European Commission, who took an active part in the discussion. Their contributions enriched the dialogue with practical, real-world perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing the sector.
Companies operating in the fishing and maritime industries expressed strong interest in the solutions being developed by both projects, highlighting the relevance of REFEST’s and HY2FISH’s work to the sector’s decarbonisation pathway.
Key takeaways from the session
Both projects face similar hurdles in bringing new technologies to small and medium-sized fishing vessels, where capital costs, payback time, and limited space on board are critical constraints. The two consortia agreed to compare their respective techno-economic models and share lessons learned on engaging ship owners and operators. Participants also identified several opportunities for future technical cooperation, joint dissemination activities and stakeholder engagement.
Looking Ahead
The joint meeting marked the beginning of a closer collaboration between REFEST and HY2FISH, reinforcing their shared commitment to accelerating the decarbonisation of Europe’s fishing fleet. Building on the synergies identified during the session, both projects will continue exchanging technical knowledge, exploring joint dissemination opportunities, and engaging with stakeholders to maximise the impact of their results. Through this collaboration, REFEST and HY2FISH aim to accelerate the uptake of innovative retrofit solutions, contributing to a more sustainable, competitive and climate-neutral European fisheries sector.
About REFEST
REFEST, standing for “Retrofitting of fishing fleets with low payback time and easy to deploy solutions for footprint and GHG emissions reduction”, is a Horizon Europe Innovation Action (Grant Agreement No. 101157663) coordinated by Klaipėda University (Lithuania), bringing together 14 partners from across Europe. Running from May 2024 to April 2027, the project develops scalable, low-CAPEX retrofit solutions, from hull hydrodynamics and air lubrication to hybrid propulsion, energy storage, and solar power, to reduce fuel consumption and GHG emissions in traditional fishing vessels by up to 40%.
About HY2FISH
HY2FISH is a European project funded under the European Commission’s PPPA-2024-FISHVESSELDEMO programme (Grant Agreement No. 101196979). Coordinated by ARVI – Cooperativa de Armadores de Pesca del Puerto de Vigo, it brings together 14 organisations from eight European countries to develop and validate innovative, cost-effective retrofit solutions for the fishing sector. Over its 36-month duration (2024–2027), the consortium will integrate hydrogen fuel cells, batteries, photovoltaic systems, hydrogen storage, advanced hull optimisation and smart energy management technologies into a real fishing vessel, demonstrating practical pathways towards the decarbonisation of the European fishing fleet.
