Energy efficiency and climate change mitigation for fishing vessels

Continuous efforts in the marine industry are directed towards improving energy efficiency and reducing the environmental impact of ships. The strategic document in Croatia focusing on that topic is the Operational Programme for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Croatia. Based on this Programme different measures are funded from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). In this paper a special focus is put on measure I.20 Energy Efficiency and Climate Change Mitigation. Through this measure the installation of new diesel engines in fishing vessels is co-financed from the EMFF. The main requirement is that the power output of the new engine is lower than that of the replaced one. This paper discusses pros and cons of such approach, provides an insight in the technical characteristics of the current fishing fleet, and proposes improvements regarding the environmental policies in the marine sector.