A Method for Determining Feasibility of Electrification of Small Fishing Vessels: Developed Using Operational Data from Two Fishing Vessels in Kosterhavet National Park

Abstract

All European industries are facing a big shift away from their dependency on fossil fuels as a result of the European Green Deal. Currently, there is no clear plan available for small fishing vessels to make that shift. The purpose of this thesis was to develop a simple and intuitive method for stakeholders to evaluate the feasibility of electrifying small fishing vessels. It was developed using mostly publicly available operational data of two fishing vessels, combined with a regulatory, environmental, and economic analysis of the two vessels. The results of the analysis where compiled into a method implemented as an excel sheet. The resulting method is applicable to most small Swedish fishing vessels. Applying the method to the two case vessels, it was found that the technical and environmental aspects of feasibility are straight forward to evaluate and the chance of electrification being feasible is good. However, the regulatory and economic aspects are less straight forward and need more thought and effort put in by the user. Furthermore, it was found that being able to use grants from Klimatklivet to electrify small fishing vessels is unlikely. This is because the investment tends to become profitable before the environmental performance is good enough. Finally, it was concluded that electrification will play an important role in the transition away from the use of traditional fossil fuels in the fishing fleet.