A new European partnership is set to help shipping companies navigate one of the industry’s biggest climate challenges: how to decarbonise the existing fleet quickly, safely, and cost-effectively.
The new FIT-HORIZONS project is bringing together 19 leading maritime companies, researchers, software developers, and technology providers from across Europe to develop an intelligent and flexible retrofit design environment for low- and zero-emission shipping.
Coordinated by SINTEF Ocean and funded by the European Union with nearly €4 million, the project aims to simplify and accelerate retrofit decisions for shipowners by combining advanced simulation tools, AI-supported modelling, and operational data into one holistic design framework.
Practical tools for decarbonisation
The maritime sector currently accounts for around 3% of global CO2 emissions. While new zero-emission vessels are entering the market, most ships operating today are expected to remain in service for decades. Retrofitting the existing fleet is therefore essential to achieving international climate targets. (....)