EU backs AI shipping efficiency

The AIMPERES project – AI-driven Modular Platform for Emission-Reduction & Efficient Shipping – has secured €4.17 million in funding through the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme. Coordinated by Fraunhofer IEM, the three-year project brings together ten partners from six European countries spanning research, maritime operations, education and industry.

The initiative focuses on improving the efficiency of existing vessels, many of which are expected to remain in service well beyond 2040.

“Decarbonising shipping requires solutions that can be deployed across the existing fleet, not only on the vessels of tomorrow,” said Tobias Seidenberg, project coordinator at Fraunhofer IEM.

“AIMPERES combines emissions monitoring, artificial intelligence and decision support into a practical solution that can help shipowners reduce fuel consumption and emissions while improving operational performance.”

At the heart of the project is a modular energy managementsystem that combines real-time emissions monitoring, artificial intelligence, hybrid digital twins and decision-support tools for crews. Designed to integrate with existing onboard systems, the technology aims to provide a cost-effective way to optimise vessel performance while reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

The system uses low-cost exhaust monitoring, vessel modelling and AI-driven optimisation to transform operational data into recommendations that support decision-making both onboard and ashore.

The technology will be tested on inland, coastal and deep-sea vessels, with the project targeting fuel savings and emission reductions of at least five per cent. The initiative also aims to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides and particulate matter.

Håvard Tvedte, interim chief executive of Maritime CleanTech, said existing ships must play a central role in achieving climate goals.

“The existing fleet has to deliver if we are to meet climate targets,” he said. “This partnership puts AI to work to help shipowners make better decisions every day and turn that into measurable emission reductions.”