REFEST has reached an important technical milestone with the experimental and computational study of the selected hull appendage configurations. This achievement was led by Klaipeda University, contributing to the project’s work on improving the hydrodynamic performance of traditional fishing vessels.
The milestone confirms that the selected configurations have been analysed through both experimental testing and computational studies, with the objective of reducing vessel resistance in water and limiting underwater noise.
The results show that the studied hull appendage solutions can contribute to at least an 11% reduction in hydrodynamic resistance and a reduction of underwater noise of at least 5 dB. These improvements are highly relevant for REFEST, as reducing resistance means that vessels can operate more efficiently, with lower energy demand and reduced fuel consumption.
This achievement supports the wider REFEST objective of developing easy-to-deploy retrofit solutions for existing fishing vessels. By improving hull efficiency, the project contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions while also addressing environmental pressures linked to underwater noise.
The work carried out by Klaipeda University provides an important technical basis for the next phases of the project, supporting the integration and validation of the proposed retrofit solutions on demonstration vessels operating in the Baltic and North Sea regions.
By achieving this milestone, REFEST moves one step closer to demonstrating practical and scalable solutions for cleaner, quieter and more efficient fishing fleets.