Autonomous vessels in short sea shipping and inland waterways

The Horizon Europe opportunity under the HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-16 program focuses on "Autonomous vessels in short sea shipping and inland waterways." This is categorized as a Horizon Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) and utilizes a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant. The application process is single-stage, with a planned opening date of December 15, 2026, and submission deadline set for April 14, 2027, at 17:00 Brussels time. The total budget for this initiative is 15 million EUR, expected to fund two grants, each approximately worth 7.5 million EUR.

Eligible applicants can include a wide variety of organizations such as universities, research institutions, SMEs, large enterprises, and maritime operators, with a particular encouragement for participation from shipyards and equipment manufacturers based in the EU and EEA. The projects aim to demonstrate remotely controlled and fully autonomous vessel operations, highlighting automation degrees three and four.

The target sector centers on waterborne transport, focusing on Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) and their integration into current operational practices. The projects must address several dimensions, including cybersecurity, infrastructure readiness, and regulatory compliance, while also improving market confidence in autonomous navigation technologies.

Addressing geographic eligibility, entities must be located within the EU and EEA, with specific restrictions against participation from entities controlled by or established in China, reflecting security considerations. While co-funding is generally not required for lump sum grants, applicants are anticipated to demonstrate the financial viability of their projects independently.

The initiative is aligned with EU strategic priorities, including the Green Deal, industrial resilience, and digital transformation, contributing to advancements in the competitiveness of the EU waterborne sector.

Expectations for project outcomes include comprehensive demonstrations covering the entire navigation lifecycle—from port calling to berthing, managing operational risks, and preparing for market readiness of these technologies. This call seeks to increase the availability of commercially viable solutions while fostering the innovation capacities within Europe.

The comprehensive details surrounding admissibility conditions, evaluation processes, and necessary documentation are outlined in the Horizon Europe guidelines accessible through the EU Funding and Tenders portal. Overall, this funding opportunity aims to significantly contribute towards the commercial maturity of autonomous vessel technologies, enhancing operational efficiency and safety in maritime transport across Europe.

This is a Horizon Europe (HORIZON) call under the MOBILITY (HORIZON-CL5-2027-03) program, specifically targeting "Autonomous vessels in short sea shipping and inland waterways" with topic ID HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-16. It is a HORIZON Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) using a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] type of Model Grant Agreement (MGA). The deadline model is single-stage, with a planned opening date of 15 December 2026 and a deadline of 14 April 2027 at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The total budget for this topic is 15,000,000 EUR, and it is expected to fund around 2 grants, each receiving approximately 7,500,000 EUR.

The expected outcomes of projects funded under this topic include: demonstration of remote-control operation of vessels without crew (degree three automation), development of concepts for fully autonomous ships (degree four automation), strengthening market confidence in remote and automated navigation, and contributing to EU strategies related to ports, waterborne industries, AI, and the EU Green Digital Coalition.

The scope of the projects should address the following aspects: demonstration of remotely controlled vessels without seafarers, demonstration of fully autonomous operation in inland waterways, addressing the whole navigation voyage including port calling and berthing, predictive maintenance, implementation bottlenecks, cyber risk management, standardization needs, data integrity and cyber security, risk of unlawful data transfer, integration of ongoing legal processes, safety considerations, upskilling of operators, and assessment of the net carbon impact of autonomous vessels. Projects should exceed outcomes of previous projects and model the economic viability of developed solutions.

Proposals are expected to explain their contribution to EU added value creation and strategic autonomy, including competitiveness of the EU waterborne industry, enhancement of the EU’s R&I capacity, technological know-how capabilities and human capital, and resilience of the EU industrial and manufacturing base. Proposals are encouraged to prioritize shipyards, equipment manufacturers and providers located and/or manufacturing in the EU and EEA.

Admissibility conditions, eligible countries, financial and operational capacity, exclusion criteria, evaluation and award processes, and legal and financial setup are governed by the standard Horizon Europe rules and annexes. Specific conditions are not applicable.

Application forms, evaluation forms, model grant agreements, and additional documents such as the Horizon Europe Work Programme, Programme Guide, Framework Programme, Specific Programme Decision, EU Financial Regulation, decision authorizing lump sum contributions, rules for legal entity validation, and the EU Grants AGA are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal.

The opportunity aims to advance the deployment and commercial maturity of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) by addressing key aspects such as remote control and full autonomy, safety, cyber security, skills and training, and economic viability. It seeks to contribute to EU strategies related to ports, waterborne industries, and AI, while also promoting the competitiveness and resilience of the European waterborne industry.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the nature of Horizon Europe calls, they typically include a mix of entities such as universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and other organizations involved in research and innovation. The call encourages participation from shipyards, equipment manufacturers, and providers located and/or manufacturing in the EU and EEA.

Funding Type: The funding type is primarily a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, as indicated by the "Type of MGA: HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]" designation. The call includes HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA), and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) which are grant-based funding mechanisms.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity appears to require a consortium, as it is a Horizon Europe project, and these typically involve multiple partners. The text mentions "Proposals are expected to explain the contribution of their objectives, results, IP management and exploitation strategy to the EU added value creation and strategic autonomy throughout the supply and value chain" which implies multiple entities.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary geographic eligibility is for entities established in EU member states and EEA countries. The call text encourages prioritizing shipyards, equipment manufacturers, and providers located and/or manufacturing in the EU and EEA. However, the text also mentions that "A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide." This suggests that some participation from non-EU/EEA countries is possible under specific conditions.

Target Sector: The primary target sector is the waterborne transport industry, with a specific focus on maritime and inland waterway transport. The call targets the development and deployment of autonomous vessel technologies, including remote control and fully autonomous ship operations. It also touches on related sectors such as AI, cybersecurity, port operations, and shipbuilding.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions the EU and EEA (European Economic Area). It also indirectly mentions China as an ineligible country for entities controlled by Chinese entities, and "third countries outside the borders of the EU/EEA" in the context of unlawful data transfer risks.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on demonstration and validation, with elements of development and concept studies. The call aims to move Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) towards "extensive deployment and widespread commercial maturity." Projects should exceed outcomes of previous or on-going projects in relevant ship types.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from €2,000,000 to €24,000,000. The "Contributions" column in the budget overview provides more specific ranges for individual grants, such as "5000000 to 7000000", "around 13500000", "around 8000000", etc.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process. The planned opening date is 15 December 2026, and the deadline for submission is 14 April 2027.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant to support their research, development, and demonstration activities.

Application Stages: The application process is a single-stage process.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly stated, but the "Indicative number of grants" column provides some insight. For example, a topic with a budget of €24,000,000 indicates 4 grants, while a topic with €13,500,000 indicates 1 grant. This suggests that the success rate will vary depending on the topic and the number of proposals received.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state a co-funding requirement. As Horizon Europe grants typically fund a significant portion of project costs, co-funding may not be mandatory, but applicants should consult the detailed call documents for confirmation.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, under the MOBILITY pillar, focuses on "Autonomous vessels in short sea shipping and inland waterways." It seeks to advance the development and deployment of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) by funding innovation actions, research and innovation actions, and coordination and support actions. The call aims to demonstrate remote-control and fully autonomous vessel operations, strengthen market confidence in these technologies, and contribute to EU strategies related to ports, waterborne industries, and artificial intelligence. Projects should address various aspects, including vessel demonstrations, concept studies, infrastructure needs, cybersecurity, standardization, safety, and economic viability. The call encourages participation from entities within the EU and EEA, particularly shipyards, equipment manufacturers, and providers. Funding is provided as lump sum grants, with varying amounts depending on the specific topic, and the application process involves a single-stage submission. The overall goal is to foster the widespread commercial maturity of autonomous vessels, enhancing the competitiveness of the EU waterborne industry and promoting safer, more efficient, and cost-effective maritime transport.