REFEST was presented at SAIL INN PRO 2025, held on 28-29 October 2025 in Getxo and Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain. The sixth edition of the event brought together stakeholders from the nautical, maritime and blue economy sectors to foster innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration within the maritime ecosystem.
The two-day programme took place across two key Basque innovation hubs. The first day was hosted at TikiToki Zentroa in Getxo, with a focus on connecting academia and companies, promoting training, young talent and new opportunities for the maritime sector. The second day took place at BAT – B Accelerator Tower in Bilbao, addressing innovation, startups, new business models and industrial development in the maritime field.
SAIL INN PRO 2025 provided a strategic platform to discuss emerging technologies, sustainable practices and growth opportunities for the nautical-maritime sector, including industrial synergies, blue economy development, maritime training, naval design and cross-sector collaboration.
During the event, AIMPLAS colleagues presented REFEST as an example of an EU-funded project contributing to the sustainable transformation of the fisheries sector. The presentation highlighted REFEST’s work on innovative solutions aimed at reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in small fishing vessels, while supporting the broader transition towards more sustainable and efficient maritime activities.