About project

Maritime pilotage is an essential part of safe navigation in the Baltic Sea. Every year, thousands of vessels rely on pilot services when entering or leaving ports, helping to prevent accidents and protect both people and the marine environment. While shipping is undergoing a major transition towards lower emissions, pilot boats themselves have so far received comparatively little attention in decarbonisation efforts.

PILOTech was launched to address this challenge. The project brings together universities, pilotage companies and public fleet operators from Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Sweden to accelerate the transition towards more sustainable pilotage services in the Central Baltic region.

Maritime pilotage is an essential part of safe navigation in the Baltic Sea. Every year, thousands of vessels rely on pilotage services when entering or leaving ports, helping to prevent accidents and protect both people and the marine environment. While the shipping sector is undergoing a major transition towards lower emissions, pilot boats themselves have so far received comparatively little attention in decarbonisation efforts.

The project identifies, evaluates and demonstrates technological and operational solutions that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from pilot boats while maintaining the high level of safety and reliability required in pilotage operations. Rather than focusing on a single technology, PILOTech takes a holistic approach by evaluating a portfolio of complementary measures, including:

• Hybrid propulsion solutions, combining conventional and electric power to improve energy efficiency and reduce fuel consumption.
• Propulsion system improvements, including more efficient propulsion technologies and vessel-specific technical upgrades that help reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
• Energy-efficient onboard systems, such as modern heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) solutions, heat pumps and other technologies that reduce energy demand both at berth and during operations.
• Operational optimisation, including eco-driving practices, improved voyage planning and other operational measures that increase fuel efficiency without compromising safety or service quality.
• Digital monitoring and performance analysis, using onboard data collection and monitoring systems to measure energy use, identify optimisation opportunities and support evidence-based fleet management.
• Cross-border feasibility studies, evaluating the technical, operational and economic potential of different decarbonisation pathways, including vessel retrofits, alternative fuels and other innovative solutions for future pilot fleets.

Alongside practical pilot actions, PILOTech will carry out joint studies to analyse the current environmental performance of pilot fleets, evaluate different decarbonisation pathways and identify the most suitable solutions for different operational contexts. The project will also assess organisational readiness for adopting new technologies and strengthen cross-border cooperation between pilotage organisations through knowledge exchange and shared learning.

By combining research with practical demonstrations, PILOTech will provide evidence-based recommendations to support future investments and policy decisions for low-emission pilotage. Beyond the project lifetime, the knowledge, practical experience and recommendations generated through PILOTech will help pilotage organisations make informed decisions on fleet modernisation and support the wider maritime sector in advancing towards cleaner and more sustainable maritime operations. The project’s results will benefit pilotage organisations, public authorities, ports, researchers and the wider maritime sector, contributing to a more resilient and environmentally sustainable maritime transport system across the Central Baltic region.