Autonomous vessels in short sea shipping and inland waterways
Supports large-scale demonstration of remotely controlled and fully autonomous vessels for EU short sea shipping and inland waterways, advancing maritime innovation and addressing technical, regulatory, and economic challenges.
Funder: European Commission
Due Dates: April 14, 2027 (Full application, single-stage, 17:00 Brussels time)
Funding Amounts: €15,000,000 total; typical grant €7–7.5M; 2 projects funded; lump sum grants
Summary: Funds demonstration and development of remotely controlled and fully autonomous vessels for short sea shipping and inland waterways, advancing EU maritime innovation and addressing technical, regulatory, and economic barriers.
Key Information: Entities controlled by China are not eligible; strong focus on EU/EEA-based manufacturing and value chain.
Description
This Horizon Europe Innovation Action aims to accelerate the demonstration and deployment of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) for short sea shipping and inland waterways. The call supports projects that will demonstrate at least two remotely operated vessels and two fully autonomous vessels in real operational settings, covering the full navigation process, including port operations and maintenance. The scope includes technical, regulatory, and operational challenges such as predictive maintenance, cyber risk management, standardization, data security, legal and regulatory integration, and workforce upskilling. Proposals must address economic viability, environmental impacts, and contribute to EU strategies on ports, industrial competitiveness, and artificial intelligence. The call emphasizes the importance of EU-based manufacturing and supply chains, aiming to enhance the competitiveness and resilience of the European waterborne sector.
