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VICUSdt is involved in the TEFLES project funded with 2.6 million euros by the EU, to reduce pollutant emissions from maritime transport.

The TEFLES project (Technologies and Low Emissions Scenarios For Shipping), which allows the minimization of pollution in maritime transport, has just been approved by call of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) of the European Union with 2.6 million euros. It will start running in January 2011 up to December 2013 and reductions in CO2 emissions between 15 and 35% are expected.

The strategic innovation consulting INOVA is the project manager and VICUSdt acts as technical coordinator, besides being the leader of two work packages. Specifically, the research team of VICUS will focus on the development of hybrid drive technology and energy storage (including its potential application to support ships in the harbour), and also will define and analyze the emissions reduction during approaching and docking operations in the ports of Vigo and St. Nazaire (France).

Other nine entities also participate in this project (companies, universities and public administration), belonging to six different European countries (France, Holland, Germany, United Kingdom, Turkey and Spain). From Galicia, Autoridad Portuaria de Vigo and Hijos de J. Barreras shipyard have to be mentioned as partners

TEFLES is part of the Seventh Framework Programme for R & D launched by the European Union, in the Transport Theme within of Cooperation Work Programme. This financial line presents a large number of applicants, a fact that makes emphasize the quality and relevance of this research. The total cost of the implementation is 4 million euros; 2.6 will come from the EU of which one million will be allocated to the Galician partners. In fact, the idea of this study has been completely born by the Galician partners under the project "Cooperación para la Innovación empresarial internacional (Partnership for International Business Innovation)", sponsored by BIC Galicia and Plataforma Tecnolóxica Galega de Medio Ambiente, Envite.

The TEFLES project objective is to find and develop the best technologies on ships and ports, addresed to reduce the environmental impact of maritime transport, as well as to reduce the cost for shipowners. Therefore, the goal is reducing sailing time and fuel consumption, and consequently, the costs and pollutant emissions, as in route as on docking, loading and unloading operations.


The TEFLES project will reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and fine particulate emissions (PM 2.5), in the maritime transport and port activity. The largest redution is expected in SOx and PM 2.5, which could be close to 100%.

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