Enhanced electric operation and battery durability (ZEWT Partnership)
Overview
The Horizon Europe call under the Zero-Emission Waterborne Transport (ZEWT) Partnership focuses on enhancing electric operations and battery durability for maritime vessels, particularly ferries, short-sea shipping, offshore vessels, and inland waterway transport. This opportunity aims to facilitate the demonstration and deployment of innovative battery systems and electric propulsion technologies.
Eligible applicants include various entities such as large enterprises, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), research institutes, universities, and training providers, particularly those located in the EU and EEA. The call strongly prioritizes participation from EU-based shipyards, equipment manufacturers, and suppliers to bolster European industrial competitiveness.
The funding type is a grant specifically for Horizon Innovation Actions, targeting comprehensive, full-cost support of eligible activities. A consortium approach is required for proposals, expecting collaborative projects that advance innovative electric vessel technologies. The geographic scope of beneficiary eligibility encompasses the EU and EEA, with a focus on enhancing their capabilities in the waterborne transport sector.
The target sector is primarily waterborne transport, emphasizing the development of zero-emission technologies and enhanced electric operation. Expected project outcomes include achieving autonomy of at least 150 nautical miles on electric power alone, and increasing propulsion power beyond 5 MW, addressing issues such as battery degradation and lifecycle management.
The total funding available for this call is €20 million, with each grant capped at €10 million. The application process is single-stage, with a submission window opening on December 15, 2026, and closing on April 14, 2027. The call does not specify exact co-funding requirements but implies that collaborative partners will likely need to contribute additional funding or resources.
Each project must conduct full-scale demonstrations in real operational conditions, supporting the European Commission's goals for zero-emission maritime transport by 2050. Successful proposals will need to consider regulatory compliance, energy efficiency, safety, and the potential for commercial viability, encouraging a comprehensive approach to developing future-proof electric maritime solutions.
Eligible applicants include various entities such as large enterprises, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), research institutes, universities, and training providers, particularly those located in the EU and EEA. The call strongly prioritizes participation from EU-based shipyards, equipment manufacturers, and suppliers to bolster European industrial competitiveness.
The funding type is a grant specifically for Horizon Innovation Actions, targeting comprehensive, full-cost support of eligible activities. A consortium approach is required for proposals, expecting collaborative projects that advance innovative electric vessel technologies. The geographic scope of beneficiary eligibility encompasses the EU and EEA, with a focus on enhancing their capabilities in the waterborne transport sector.
The target sector is primarily waterborne transport, emphasizing the development of zero-emission technologies and enhanced electric operation. Expected project outcomes include achieving autonomy of at least 150 nautical miles on electric power alone, and increasing propulsion power beyond 5 MW, addressing issues such as battery degradation and lifecycle management.
The total funding available for this call is €20 million, with each grant capped at €10 million. The application process is single-stage, with a submission window opening on December 15, 2026, and closing on April 14, 2027. The call does not specify exact co-funding requirements but implies that collaborative partners will likely need to contribute additional funding or resources.
Each project must conduct full-scale demonstrations in real operational conditions, supporting the European Commission's goals for zero-emission maritime transport by 2050. Successful proposals will need to consider regulatory compliance, energy efficiency, safety, and the potential for commercial viability, encouraging a comprehensive approach to developing future-proof electric maritime solutions.
Detail
This is a Horizon Europe call under the MOBILITY (HORIZON-CL5-2027-03) program, specifically topic HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-18, titled "Enhanced electric operation and battery durability (ZEWT Partnership)". It is a HORIZON-IA (Innovation Action) with a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG] Model Grant Agreement (MGA). The call is forthcoming with a single-stage deadline model. The planned opening date is 15 December 2026, and the deadline date is 14 April 2027, 17:00:00 Brussels time.
The project aims to improve the suitability of fully-battery-electric operation of ferries, short sea shipping, offshore and inland vessels, considering the services they provide, their operation profiles and the possibilities to interact with charging infrastructure.
Expected outcomes of the projects include:
Demonstrating autonomy of at least 150 nautical miles (277.8 KM for inland navigation) using electrical storage as the only energy source, while allowing rapid in-route zero-emission replenishment.
Increasing the power output, providing beyond 5 MW as peak propulsion power with corresponding grid capacity.
Improving systems to increase the number charging cycles combined with high-power charging to suit the operation needs of different ship types and services.
Identifying the operating profiles and business cases for which electric-powered shipping will bring significant improvements, taking into account the priorities and provisions of the Fitfor55 package, especially FuelEU Maritime, Naiades III, AFIR, and RED.
Developing solutions fitting different ship types and their operational profiles and providing roadmaps for replication.
Addressing the degradation and failure in specific maritime operating conditions.
Improving the lifetime and safe use of batteries in waterborne transport by addressing the operation profiles, degradation, and failure modes associated with unique waterborne transport operating conditions.
The scope of the projects should include:
Full-scale demonstration of innovative solutions for extended range and extended battery cycles beyond simple scaling up of existing commercial batteries.
Solutions to increase the current operational range of electric vessels to at least 150 nm (or 277.8 KM for inland navigation) for short-sea shipping, ferries, offshore of 400-6500 GT vessels, or 86-135 meters for inland river vessels on free-flowing rivers upstream, allowing rapid in route charging and being applicable to representative operating conditions of the chosen ship.
Demonstration of the vessel’s economic viability in normal operation. Demonstrations should also consider baseline reference which are already state of the art
Identifying the operational profiles and services that require higher energy output for safe and effective operation, developing solutions and modelling scenarios to ensure safe and efficient energy management and navigation taking into account the battery pack and recharging possibilities.
Incorporating energy-efficiency measures, including but not limited to, efficient AC-DC grid, thermal management, high voltage electrical components, energy management and energy modelling for optimal operation.
Implementation of vessel wide adaptive energy management solutions that coordinate battery, propulsion and hotel loads, maximising cycle life while minimising emissions.
Development of solutions for intelligent and optimized battery management to improve energy efficiency and life extension of the batteries.
Consideration of life cycle aspects by design and address the end-of-life of batteries to ensure full electric operation during and beyond the planned operation of the vessel.
Creating concepts for rapid zero-emission in-route charging, fast charging, offshore charging or battery replenishment, including solutions capable of supplying power to idling vessels anchored offshore near ports, while maintaining desired operating schedules, adhering to current standards.
Encouraging modular design and ship retrofitting to facilitate replication of the solution, ideally presenting one full retrofit exercise and several replications in similar or different vessels, also including the needs of the OPS infrastructure.
Development of recommendations and best practices for the safety assessment of the novel installations based on field testing.
Regulatory aspects for the pertinent safety-critical ship systems as well as fire safety solutions for the battery room should also be addressed.
The plan for exploitation and dissemination of results should identify adequate business cases and provide roadmap for the replication and deployment of the proposed technology, including plans for scalability, commercialization, and deployment.
Establishment of strong collaboration between industry, training providers and higher education institutions to develop specialized courses on enhanced waterborne transport battery management.
Proposals must justify the contribution of their objectives, results, intellectual property (IP) management and exploitation strategy to the EU added value creation and strategic autonomy throughout the supply and value chain. Proposals are encouraged to prioritise shipyards, equipment manufacturers and suppliers located in the EU and EEA.
This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on ‘Zero Emission Waterborne Transport’ (ZEWT). Projects will be expected to report on results to the European Partnership ‘Zero Emission Waterborne Transport’ (ZEWT) in support of the monitoring of its KPIs.
General conditions for participation include:
Admissibility conditions regarding proposal page limit and layout, as described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form.
Eligibility of countries as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
Other eligible conditions, including the mandatory use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS for projects using satellite-based data and services, as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria as described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds as described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Submission and evaluation processes as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Legal and financial set-up of the grants, including potential objections to transfer of ownership or exclusive licensing of results within 4 years after the action's end, as described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Specific conditions: Not applicable.
Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA):
Application form templates are available in the Submission System (Standard application form (HE RIA, IA)).
Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations (Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA)).
Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide.
Model Grant Agreements (MGA) include HE MGA and HE Unit MGA.
Call-specific instructions: Not applicable.
Additional documents include:
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 8. Climate, Energy and Mobility
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes
HE Programme Guide
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions
Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement
The budget overview for the call in 2027 includes several topics:
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-03: 24,000,000 EUR, contributions of 5,000,000 to 7,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 4
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-04: 13,500,000 EUR, contribution around 13,500,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-05: 16,000,000 EUR, contribution around 8,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-06: 8,000,000 EUR, contribution around 8,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-08: 5,000,000 EUR, contribution around 2,500,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-14: 6,500,000 EUR, contribution around 6,500,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-15: 2,000,000 EUR, contribution around 2,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-16: 15,000,000 EUR, contribution around 7,500,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-17: 14,000,000 EUR, contribution around 7,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-18: 20,000,000 EUR, contribution around 10,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-20: 7,000,000 EUR, contribution around 3,500,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2
Partner search announcements are available for those looking to collaborate on this topic. LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants can publish partner requests after logging into the Portal.
The submission system is planned to be opened on the date stated on the topic header.
This Horizon Europe call aims to foster innovation in fully-battery-electric waterborne transport. It seeks to improve the range, power, durability, and safety of electric vessels like ferries and short sea shipping, while also addressing charging infrastructure and operational considerations. The call encourages projects that demonstrate real-world solutions, consider the entire lifecycle of batteries, and contribute to the competitiveness and strategic autonomy of the EU waterborne industry. By supporting research, development, and demonstration, this call aims to accelerate the transition to zero-emission waterborne transport and contribute to the goals of the Fitfor55 package.
The project aims to improve the suitability of fully-battery-electric operation of ferries, short sea shipping, offshore and inland vessels, considering the services they provide, their operation profiles and the possibilities to interact with charging infrastructure.
Expected outcomes of the projects include:
Demonstrating autonomy of at least 150 nautical miles (277.8 KM for inland navigation) using electrical storage as the only energy source, while allowing rapid in-route zero-emission replenishment.
Increasing the power output, providing beyond 5 MW as peak propulsion power with corresponding grid capacity.
Improving systems to increase the number charging cycles combined with high-power charging to suit the operation needs of different ship types and services.
Identifying the operating profiles and business cases for which electric-powered shipping will bring significant improvements, taking into account the priorities and provisions of the Fitfor55 package, especially FuelEU Maritime, Naiades III, AFIR, and RED.
Developing solutions fitting different ship types and their operational profiles and providing roadmaps for replication.
Addressing the degradation and failure in specific maritime operating conditions.
Improving the lifetime and safe use of batteries in waterborne transport by addressing the operation profiles, degradation, and failure modes associated with unique waterborne transport operating conditions.
The scope of the projects should include:
Full-scale demonstration of innovative solutions for extended range and extended battery cycles beyond simple scaling up of existing commercial batteries.
Solutions to increase the current operational range of electric vessels to at least 150 nm (or 277.8 KM for inland navigation) for short-sea shipping, ferries, offshore of 400-6500 GT vessels, or 86-135 meters for inland river vessels on free-flowing rivers upstream, allowing rapid in route charging and being applicable to representative operating conditions of the chosen ship.
Demonstration of the vessel’s economic viability in normal operation. Demonstrations should also consider baseline reference which are already state of the art
Identifying the operational profiles and services that require higher energy output for safe and effective operation, developing solutions and modelling scenarios to ensure safe and efficient energy management and navigation taking into account the battery pack and recharging possibilities.
Incorporating energy-efficiency measures, including but not limited to, efficient AC-DC grid, thermal management, high voltage electrical components, energy management and energy modelling for optimal operation.
Implementation of vessel wide adaptive energy management solutions that coordinate battery, propulsion and hotel loads, maximising cycle life while minimising emissions.
Development of solutions for intelligent and optimized battery management to improve energy efficiency and life extension of the batteries.
Consideration of life cycle aspects by design and address the end-of-life of batteries to ensure full electric operation during and beyond the planned operation of the vessel.
Creating concepts for rapid zero-emission in-route charging, fast charging, offshore charging or battery replenishment, including solutions capable of supplying power to idling vessels anchored offshore near ports, while maintaining desired operating schedules, adhering to current standards.
Encouraging modular design and ship retrofitting to facilitate replication of the solution, ideally presenting one full retrofit exercise and several replications in similar or different vessels, also including the needs of the OPS infrastructure.
Development of recommendations and best practices for the safety assessment of the novel installations based on field testing.
Regulatory aspects for the pertinent safety-critical ship systems as well as fire safety solutions for the battery room should also be addressed.
The plan for exploitation and dissemination of results should identify adequate business cases and provide roadmap for the replication and deployment of the proposed technology, including plans for scalability, commercialization, and deployment.
Establishment of strong collaboration between industry, training providers and higher education institutions to develop specialized courses on enhanced waterborne transport battery management.
Proposals must justify the contribution of their objectives, results, intellectual property (IP) management and exploitation strategy to the EU added value creation and strategic autonomy throughout the supply and value chain. Proposals are encouraged to prioritise shipyards, equipment manufacturers and suppliers located in the EU and EEA.
This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on ‘Zero Emission Waterborne Transport’ (ZEWT). Projects will be expected to report on results to the European Partnership ‘Zero Emission Waterborne Transport’ (ZEWT) in support of the monitoring of its KPIs.
General conditions for participation include:
Admissibility conditions regarding proposal page limit and layout, as described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form.
Eligibility of countries as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
Other eligible conditions, including the mandatory use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS for projects using satellite-based data and services, as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria as described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds as described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Submission and evaluation processes as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Legal and financial set-up of the grants, including potential objections to transfer of ownership or exclusive licensing of results within 4 years after the action's end, as described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Specific conditions: Not applicable.
Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA):
Application form templates are available in the Submission System (Standard application form (HE RIA, IA)).
Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations (Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA)).
Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide.
Model Grant Agreements (MGA) include HE MGA and HE Unit MGA.
Call-specific instructions: Not applicable.
Additional documents include:
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 8. Climate, Energy and Mobility
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes
HE Programme Guide
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions
Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement
The budget overview for the call in 2027 includes several topics:
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-03: 24,000,000 EUR, contributions of 5,000,000 to 7,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 4
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-04: 13,500,000 EUR, contribution around 13,500,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-05: 16,000,000 EUR, contribution around 8,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-06: 8,000,000 EUR, contribution around 8,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-08: 5,000,000 EUR, contribution around 2,500,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-14: 6,500,000 EUR, contribution around 6,500,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-15: 2,000,000 EUR, contribution around 2,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-16: 15,000,000 EUR, contribution around 7,500,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-17: 14,000,000 EUR, contribution around 7,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-18: 20,000,000 EUR, contribution around 10,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-20: 7,000,000 EUR, contribution around 3,500,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2
Partner search announcements are available for those looking to collaborate on this topic. LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants can publish partner requests after logging into the Portal.
The submission system is planned to be opened on the date stated on the topic header.
This Horizon Europe call aims to foster innovation in fully-battery-electric waterborne transport. It seeks to improve the range, power, durability, and safety of electric vessels like ferries and short sea shipping, while also addressing charging infrastructure and operational considerations. The call encourages projects that demonstrate real-world solutions, consider the entire lifecycle of batteries, and contribute to the competitiveness and strategic autonomy of the EU waterborne industry. By supporting research, development, and demonstration, this call aims to accelerate the transition to zero-emission waterborne transport and contribute to the goals of the Fitfor55 package.
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Breakdown
Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but the call is open to a wide range of participants including industry, training providers, and higher education institutions. The call encourages the prioritization of shipyards, equipment manufacturers, and suppliers located in the EU and EEA. Based on the Horizon Europe framework, eligible applicants could include startups, SMEs, large enterprises, universities, research institutes, and other legal entities.
Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically through HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) under the Horizon Europe Programme.
Consortium Requirement: While not explicitly stated, the nature of the projects, particularly the need for full-scale demonstrations and collaboration between various types of organizations (industry, training providers, higher education), suggests that a consortium is highly encouraged, if not required. Partner search announcements are explicitly mentioned, further reinforcing the likelihood of consortium-based projects.
Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes the EU and EEA. While non-EU/non-Associated Countries may have specific provisions for funding, the emphasis is on EU and EEA participation.
Target Sector: The program targets the waterborne transport sector, specifically focusing on zero-emission technologies and enhanced electric operation of vessels. This includes ferries, short sea shipping, offshore and inland vessels. The thematic areas include climate, energy, and mobility, with a strong emphasis on battery technology, charging infrastructure, and port operations.
Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions the EU and EEA (European Economic Area). No specific countries are listed, but the focus is on entities located within these regions.
Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project for this opportunity ranges from development to demonstration. The call emphasizes full-scale demonstrations of innovative solutions, indicating that projects should be beyond the initial research phase and ready for real-world testing and validation.
Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from €2,000,000 to €24,000,000. The indicative number of grants per topic also varies, with some topics expected to fund multiple projects.
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-03: €5,000,000 to €7,000,000 (4 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-04: around €13,500,000 (1 grant)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-05: around €8,000,000 (2 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-06: around €8,000,000 (1 grant)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-08: around €2,500,000 (2 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-14: around €6,500,000 (1 grant)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-15: around €2,000,000 (1 grant)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-16: around €7,500,000 (2 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-17: around €7,000,000 (2 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-18: around €10,000,000 (2 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-20: around €3,500,000 (2 grants)
Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.
Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants to support their research, development, and demonstration activities.
Application Stages: The application process is single-stage, meaning applicants submit a full proposal at once.
Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants per topic provides some insight. For example, a topic with a budget of €24,000,000 and an indicative number of 4 grants suggests a potentially higher success rate compared to a topic with a budget of €13,500,000 and only 1 grant.
Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required. However, Horizon Europe grants typically fund a significant portion of the project costs, implying that some level of co-funding or in-kind contributions may be expected.
Summary: This Horizon Europe call, under the MOBILITY pillar and the Zero Emission Waterborne Transport (ZEWT) Partnership, aims to foster innovation and demonstration of fully-battery-electric solutions for various types of vessels, including ferries, short sea shipping, offshore, and inland vessels. The call seeks to improve the suitability, range, power capability, and durability of electric vessels, while also addressing charging infrastructure, safety, and lifecycle aspects. Projects should demonstrate full-scale solutions, develop best practices, and contribute to the competitiveness and strategic autonomy of the EU waterborne industry. The call encourages collaboration between industry, training providers, and higher education institutions, and prioritizes entities located in the EU and EEA. Funding is provided through Horizon Innovation Actions (IA), Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), with varying budgets and indicative numbers of grants per topic. The application process is single-stage, with a planned opening date in December 2026 and a deadline in April 2027. This initiative is designed to significantly advance the adoption of zero-emission technologies in the waterborne transport sector, aligning with the EU's broader climate and energy goals.
Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically through HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) under the Horizon Europe Programme.
Consortium Requirement: While not explicitly stated, the nature of the projects, particularly the need for full-scale demonstrations and collaboration between various types of organizations (industry, training providers, higher education), suggests that a consortium is highly encouraged, if not required. Partner search announcements are explicitly mentioned, further reinforcing the likelihood of consortium-based projects.
Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes the EU and EEA. While non-EU/non-Associated Countries may have specific provisions for funding, the emphasis is on EU and EEA participation.
Target Sector: The program targets the waterborne transport sector, specifically focusing on zero-emission technologies and enhanced electric operation of vessels. This includes ferries, short sea shipping, offshore and inland vessels. The thematic areas include climate, energy, and mobility, with a strong emphasis on battery technology, charging infrastructure, and port operations.
Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions the EU and EEA (European Economic Area). No specific countries are listed, but the focus is on entities located within these regions.
Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project for this opportunity ranges from development to demonstration. The call emphasizes full-scale demonstrations of innovative solutions, indicating that projects should be beyond the initial research phase and ready for real-world testing and validation.
Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from €2,000,000 to €24,000,000. The indicative number of grants per topic also varies, with some topics expected to fund multiple projects.
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-03: €5,000,000 to €7,000,000 (4 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-04: around €13,500,000 (1 grant)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-05: around €8,000,000 (2 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-06: around €8,000,000 (1 grant)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-08: around €2,500,000 (2 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-14: around €6,500,000 (1 grant)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-15: around €2,000,000 (1 grant)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-16: around €7,500,000 (2 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-17: around €7,000,000 (2 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-18: around €10,000,000 (2 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-20: around €3,500,000 (2 grants)
Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.
Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants to support their research, development, and demonstration activities.
Application Stages: The application process is single-stage, meaning applicants submit a full proposal at once.
Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants per topic provides some insight. For example, a topic with a budget of €24,000,000 and an indicative number of 4 grants suggests a potentially higher success rate compared to a topic with a budget of €13,500,000 and only 1 grant.
Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required. However, Horizon Europe grants typically fund a significant portion of the project costs, implying that some level of co-funding or in-kind contributions may be expected.
Summary: This Horizon Europe call, under the MOBILITY pillar and the Zero Emission Waterborne Transport (ZEWT) Partnership, aims to foster innovation and demonstration of fully-battery-electric solutions for various types of vessels, including ferries, short sea shipping, offshore, and inland vessels. The call seeks to improve the suitability, range, power capability, and durability of electric vessels, while also addressing charging infrastructure, safety, and lifecycle aspects. Projects should demonstrate full-scale solutions, develop best practices, and contribute to the competitiveness and strategic autonomy of the EU waterborne industry. The call encourages collaboration between industry, training providers, and higher education institutions, and prioritizes entities located in the EU and EEA. Funding is provided through Horizon Innovation Actions (IA), Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), with varying budgets and indicative numbers of grants per topic. The application process is single-stage, with a planned opening date in December 2026 and a deadline in April 2027. This initiative is designed to significantly advance the adoption of zero-emission technologies in the waterborne transport sector, aligning with the EU's broader climate and energy goals.
Short Summary
Impact This funding aims to accelerate the demonstration and deployment of advanced battery and electric propulsion systems in European waterborne transport, contributing to zero-emission maritime transport by 2050. | Impact | This funding aims to accelerate the demonstration and deployment of advanced battery and electric propulsion systems in European waterborne transport, contributing to zero-emission maritime transport by 2050. |
Applicant Applicants should possess expertise in maritime technology, battery systems, electric propulsion, and collaboration among industry, research, and education sectors. | Applicant | Applicants should possess expertise in maritime technology, battery systems, electric propulsion, and collaboration among industry, research, and education sectors. |
Developments The funding will support projects focused on the development and demonstration of innovative battery systems and electric propulsion technologies for ferries, short-sea shipping, offshore vessels, and inland waterway transport. | Developments | The funding will support projects focused on the development and demonstration of innovative battery systems and electric propulsion technologies for ferries, short-sea shipping, offshore vessels, and inland waterway transport. |
Applicant Type This funding is designed for large enterprises, SMEs, research institutes, universities, and training providers located in the EU and EEA. | Applicant Type | This funding is designed for large enterprises, SMEs, research institutes, universities, and training providers located in the EU and EEA. |
Consortium A consortium of multiple applicants is required for this opportunity, emphasizing collaboration among various organizations. | Consortium | A consortium of multiple applicants is required for this opportunity, emphasizing collaboration among various organizations. |
Funding Amount The funding amount is €10,000,000 per project, with a total of €20,000,000 available for 2 expected grants. | Funding Amount | The funding amount is €10,000,000 per project, with a total of €20,000,000 available for 2 expected grants. |
Countries The relevant countries for this funding are EU member states and EEA countries, as the focus is on enhancing EU industrial competitiveness in the waterborne transport sector. | Countries | The relevant countries for this funding are EU member states and EEA countries, as the focus is on enhancing EU industrial competitiveness in the waterborne transport sector. |
Industry This funding targets the transport sector, specifically waterborne transport and maritime shipping, under the Horizon Europe program. | Industry | This funding targets the transport sector, specifically waterborne transport and maritime shipping, under the Horizon Europe program. |
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Autonomous vessels in short sea shipping and inland waterways
Call for ProposalForthcoming
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...
April 14th, 2027
Innovative technologies and solutions to improve wave and tidal energy systems
Call for ProposalForthcoming
The Horizon Europe grant opportunity focuses on advancing innovative technologies and solutions for wave and tidal energy systems under the topic title "HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D3-09." The total funding...
March 31st, 2027
Onboard renewable energy solutions and energy saving measures to reduce the fuel consumption of ships by at least 55% (ZEWT Partnership)
Call for ProposalForthcoming
The HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-14 opportunity is part of the Horizon Europe programme, focusing on reducing fuel consumption by at least 55% in the maritime sector through the integration of renewable...
April 14th, 2027
Prospective evaluation of nuclear power potential for shipping (ZEWT Partnership)
Call for ProposalForthcoming
The Horizon Europe call for proposals, HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-15, focuses on evaluating the potential of nuclear power for shipping, particularly under the Zero Emission Waterborne Transport (ZEWT)...
April 14th, 2027
Innovative construction and maintenance, with the use of new materials and techniques, for resilient and sustainable transport infrastructure
Call for ProposalOpen
This summary describes a Horizon Europe grant opportunity under the call HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-07, focusing on innovative construction and maintenance techniques for sustainable transport...
January 20th, 2026
Innovative Solutions for mitigating the environmental impact of waterborne transport in marine and aquatic Ecosystems (ZEWT Partnership)
Call for ProposalForthcoming
The Horizon Europe call, identified as HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-17, is focused on innovative solutions aimed at mitigating the environmental impact of waterborne transport in marine and aquatic...
April 14th, 2027
Innovation Fund 2025 Net Zero Technologies - General decarbonisation - Medium-Scale Projects
Call for ProposalOpen
The INNOVFUND-2025-NZT-GENERAL-MSP is an EU funding opportunity focusing on medium-scale innovative clean technology and low-carbon projects aimed at contributing to the EU's climate goals. The call,...
April 23rd, 2026
Safety of renewable low and zero-carbon waterborne fuels in port areas: risk assessment, regulatory framework, and guidelines for safe bunkering, handling and storage (ZEWT partnership)
Call for ProposalForthcoming
The Horizon Europe call titled "Safety of renewable low and zero-carbon waterborne fuels in port areas: risk assessment, regulatory framework, and guidelines for safe bunkering, handling and storage...
April 14th, 2026
Disruptive Technologies and Innovative Concepts for Energy Saving Onboard of long-distance ships (ZEWT Partnership)
Call for ProposalForthcoming
The grant opportunity titled "Disruptive Technologies and Innovative Concepts for Energy Saving Onboard of long-distance ships" is part of the Horizon Europe program, specifically within Cluster 5,...
April 14th, 2026
Integrating advanced materials, cell design and manufacturing development for high-performance batteries aimed at mobility (Batt4EU Partnership)
Call for ProposalOpen
This funding opportunity is part of the Horizon Europe program, focusing on advancing battery technology for mobility applications, specifically under the Batt4EU Partnership. The call addresses...
January 20th, 2026
Large-scale demonstration of Heavy-Duty Battery Electric Vehicles (HD BEV) towards long-haul logistics operations (2ZERO Partnership)
Call for ProposalForthcoming
This summary focuses on a forthcoming Horizon Europe funding opportunity targeting the large-scale demonstration of Heavy-Duty Battery Electric Vehicles (HD BEV) for long-haul logistics operations,...
April 14th, 2026
STUDIES ON INNOVATION IN CLIMATE FINANCE FOR RAIL
Call for ProposalOpen
The EU Horizon Europe program has opened a funding opportunity titled "Studies on Innovation in Climate Finance for Rail." This initiative is part of the HORIZON JU-ER-2025-02 call and seeks to...
February 11th, 2026