# Safety and Health Risks in Energy Transition for the Commercial Fishing Industry

> **NIH ALLCDC U01** · AMERICAN BUREAU OF SHIPPING · 2022 · $399,059

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
This project will examine the potential safety and health impacts resulting from one of the most
transformative forces that the commercial fishing industry will face over the next decade: clean
energy transition to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. The U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE) is aggressively funding technology development and demonstration projects to support
clean energy objectives in many sectors, including (1) decarbonization of maritime operations in
the U.S. through electrification and the use of clean alternative fuels and (2) development of
broader clean energy sources such as offshore wind farms and marine energy devices offshore.
This research project is intended to identify the emergent risks to the fishing industry created by
the coming energy transition. The research will identify and examine the inherent risks associated
with the “clean energy” transition onboard commercial fishing vessels. These risks may arise from
hazardous materials used as alternate fuels (e.g, ammonia, hydrogen, or Liquefied Natural gas
(LNG), or the electrification of fishing vessels using battery power. Vessel modifications and
retrofits to reduce emissions may also impact vessel stability and seakeeping. In addition, there
are external risks associated with the increase in Offshore Renewable Energy Installations (OREI)
such as wind turbines generators and hydrokinetic applications along with their associated
infrastructure. These may result in changes to fishing areas, longer transits to/from fishing areas,
increased risk of collisions and allisions, as well as potential impacts to Search and Rescue
capabilities.
By conducting sound market research, technology forecasts and modeling informed by subject
matter experts, we will develop a set of realistic future scenarios. We will then evaluate these
scenarios using proven safety and risk analysis techniques to identify hazards, assess risks,
and identify suitable risk management strategies. The results of this research will provide a
better understanding of the hazards and risks of the energy transition. We will document the
results of our research in a report and an ABS Advisory publication specific for the commercial
fishing industry. This will provide clear guidance and educational materials to the industry on
how to address and manage these risks. The impact of this project will allow the fishing industry
to proactively manage risks so that the energy transition can implemented safely and efficiently.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10553959
- **Project number:** 1U01OH012502-01
- **Recipient organization:** AMERICAN BUREAU OF SHIPPING
- **Principal Investigator:** Quaim Choudhury
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $399,059
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-01 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10553959

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10553959, Safety and Health Risks in Energy Transition for the Commercial Fishing Industry (1U01OH012502-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10553959. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*