The SEAGLOW project (Sustainable Energy Applications for Green and Low-impact Operation of small-scale fishing boats in the Baltic and North Sea basins) demonstrates the impact and potential of low-carbon technologies to reduce fossil fuel consumption, air emissions and environmental pressures from small-scale fishing vessels. The project builds evidence through full-scale demonstrations on four vessels operating under real conditions in Denmark, Estonia, Norway and Sweden.
As market conditions evolved, the original ambition to include methanol engines was adapted to HVO-ready diesel–electric hybrid propulsion, reflecting current technology maturity and availability in the small-vessel segment. Retrofit solutions now include hybrid drivetrains, electro-hydraulic equipment, battery systems, efficient propellers, and advanced eco-coatings that reduce drag and copper pollution. In Norway, an e-coating antifouling solution has already been applied and is under long-term performance monitoring.
SEAGLOW has completed high-quality baseline assessments across all four vessels, including fuel use, propulsion loads, underwater noise, and emissions (CO2, NOx, SOx, particles). Continuous monitoring systems (SIMUL and upgraded CAN-based loggers) now provide long-term operational data, enabling robust comparison of performance before and after installation of low-carbon technologies.
Data-driven evaluation supports both technology optimisation and behavioural change, allowing crews to understand the fuel and emission impacts of different operating modes. SEAGLOW also assesses potential synergies between solutions, as well as environmental trade-offs, including coating toxicity and impacts on marine communities.
By combining technical demonstration, sustainability assessment, policy insights and business-model development, SEAGLOW contributes directly to the EU Mission “Restore Our Ocean & Waters” and supports a realistic transition pathway for thousands of similar vessels across the Baltic and North Sea basins
