Brussels, Belgium – 16th February 2026
FLEETfor55 project coordinator Astrinos Papadakis from HYDRUS represented the project this Monday at the CINEA Policy Workshop held in Brussels, joining a diverse gathering of experts and project representatives from across the EU-funded research and innovation landscape.
Organised by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) , the workshop brought together participants from a wide range of projects funded under CEF, Horizon Europe, and other European programmes — spanning multiple sectors and technologies, all united by the shared goal of advancing decarbonisation across European transport and industry.
The day’s discussions centred on several interconnected themes:
- The State of Decarbonisation in the Fishery Sector: Panel discussions took stock of where Europe’s fishing fleets currently stand on the path to net zero — examining the progress made, the structural and economic barriers that remain, and the policy landscape that will shape the sector’s transition. The fishery sector presents a unique set of challenges: highly diverse vessel types, small owner-operated businesses with limited investment capacity, and port infrastructure that in many cases is not yet ready to support alternative fuels or electrification.
- Cross-Sector Knowledge Transfer: A central question of the workshop was how developments and innovations from other sectors — represented by the wide spectrum of projects present — can be adapted and applied to the specific realities of fishing fleets. FLEETfor55 was among the projects invited to contribute to this conversation, sharing insights from its work on fleet decarbonisation strategies, alternative fuel pathways, and the operational and economic modelling of greener maritime transport.
- Collaborative Problem-Solving: Beyond the formal panels, the workshop provided a valuable space for informal exchange between project teams — surfacing shared challenges, identifying potential synergies, and building connections across the broader European decarbonisation community.
This participation reflects FLEETfor55’s commitment to engaging beyond the boundaries of the project itself — contributing to the wider policy and research dialogue that will ultimately shape the conditions for a successful green transition in European maritime transport.
Discover further updates on FLEETfor55’s activities by following our official page on LinkedIn!
