European Maritime Space and Inland ports (AFIF) - works

The CEF-T-2026 call (European Maritime Space and Inland ports - AFIF, works) funds works to deploy onshore power supply, shore-side battery charging and related port grid upgrades and to fit or retrofit vessel energy propulsion systems (electric, hybrid, hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, biomethane, substitute energy and wind-assisted propulsion) for eligible TEN-T maritime and inland vessels. Indicative budget is €200,000,000 with a maximum EU contribution of €10,000,000 per project and up to €5,000,000 per vessel for retrofits, funding rates up to 30% for works (70% for outermost regions), and projects must be supported by at least 10% financing from a public or private financial institution with fitting/retrofitting contracts signed after call publication and no later than 31 December 2027. Eligible applicants are legal entities established in EU Member States or CEF-associated countries (including port authorities, shipping companies, infrastructure managers and public administrations) and applications must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 06 October 2026, 17:00 CET.

What it funds

Scope summary

Works-only projects that modernise TEN-T maritime and inland port infrastructure and reduce transport environmental impact. Eligible activities include deployment of onshore power supply (OPS) and shore-side battery charging (SBC) systems, grid upgrades inside ports when needed, on-site renewables and energy storage as synergetic elements (max 20% of eligible costs), and fitting or retrofitting vessel propulsion/energy systems (electric, hybrid, H2, ammonia, methanol, biomethane, substitute energy, and wind-assisted propulsion). Facilities must be non-discriminatory and comply with relevant TEN-T and AFI regulations.

Eligible vessels and restrictions:Support for vessel retrofits limited to maritime ferries and short-sea vessels >=2000 GT and qualified inland waterway vessels; vessels must fly an EU flag and serve a TEN-T port for at least 5 years after project end. Hybrid vessels must have SBC and battery capacity for at least 10 nautical miles. Support is not available for exclusive day-trip tourism vessels, recreational craft, tugboats, icebreakers or cruise vessels. Grant per vessel capped at €5 000 000 ¹.

1. 1Applicants: legal entities (public or private) established in eligible CEF countries; must register in the Participant Register.
2. 2Projects require confirmed financing from a public or private financial institution representing at least 10% of total project investment (financing approval letter required).

Applications must use the EU Funding & Tenders Portal submission forms and include mandatory annexes (detailed budget per WP, environmental compliance file, letters of support/MS agreement, timetable/Gantt, financing approval letter, etc.). Projects should demonstrate non-duplicated EU funding and follow procurement, permitting and TEN-T rules.

Footnotes

1. 1Grant for fitting or retrofitting of vessels limited to a maximum of €5 000 000 per vessel. See the Call document on the Funding & Tenders Portal for full conditions: Call document.

Call and Administrative Details

Call identifier:CEF-T-2026. Call title: CEF 2 Transport - Projects related to sustainable and multimodal mobility - General envelope. Topic: European Maritime Space and Inland ports (AFIF) - works. Type: Call for proposals (CEF Infrastructure Projects). Managing Agency: European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Opening date: 18 June 2026. Submission deadline: 6 October 2026, 17:00 CET (Brussels). Submission method: electronic submission only via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System (single-stage submission).

Available budget:Indicative call budget €200,000,000 for 2026; the Agency reserves the right to exceed the indicative budget or not to award all funds depending on proposals received.

Objective and Scope

Objective:modernise maritime transport infrastructure on the TEN-T network and reduce the environmental impact of transport by supporting efficient short sea shipping links and greening of inland shipping. Scope limited to works projects only under two main streams: deployment of Onshore-power supply (OPS) and shore-side charging infrastructure in TEN-T maritime and inland ports in compliance with Regulation (EU) 2023/1804, and fitting or retrofitting of energy systems of inland waterway vessels and short sea shipping vessels (including ferries) with low- and zero-emission propulsion and energy technologies, and installation of wind assisted propulsion systems (WAPS).

1. 1Port works eligible: Onshore-power supply systems, Shore-side Battery Charging systems (SBC), Shore-side Power Banks (energy storage), on-site renewable generation (photovoltaic, wind), grid upgrades within the port when needed for OPS/SBC, and grid connection from port to external grid when required. Synergetic elements (renewables, storage) may be included but cannot exceed 20% of total eligible costs and must be primarily used for OPS/SBC.
2. 2Vessel works eligible: fitting or retrofitting of energy systems for maritime ferries, short sea shipping vessels and inland waterway vessels using electric, hybrid, hydrogen, ammonia, methanol or biomethane technologies, substitute sources of energy (renewables on board or electricity from OPS) and energy storage used predominantly for propulsion. Hybrid electric retrofits must include SBC capability and battery capacity sufficient for at least 10 nautical miles. Fitting/retrofitting contracts must be signed after this call publication and no later than 31 December 2027.
3. 3Access and non-discrimination: facilities and infrastructure supported under CEF must be usable by all operators on a non-discriminatory basis.
4. 4Geographic scope for port projects: only the geographic area of the maritime port as indicated in Annex II to the TEN-T Regulation may be included for merged port entities or entities managing multiple ports.

Restrictions and exclusions:Support is NOT provided for exclusive day-trip tourism vessels, recreational craft, tugboats, icebreakers or cruise vessels. For vessels receiving support, they must fly an EU flag and serve at least one TEN-T maritime or inland port for a minimum of five years after project end. Grant for fitting/retrofitting is capped at €5,000,000 per vessel.

Eligible Applicants and Roles

Eligible lead applicants and participants must be legal entities (public or private) established in eligible countries (EU Member States including OCTs and countries associated to the CEF programme). International organisations are eligible. Natural persons are not eligible except self-employed sole traders where applicable. Entities without legal personality may exceptionally participate if their representative can legally commit and provide equivalent guarantees.

1. 1Eligible applicant types: public bodies, regional and local authorities, port authorities, port managing entities, infrastructure operators, private companies (including SMEs and large enterprises), research organisations, universities, NGOs, international organisations and other legal entities established in eligible or associated countries.
2. 2Consortium requirement: Not mandatory; this topic can be applied for by a single beneficiary (mono-beneficiary) or multiple beneficiaries. The submission rules require that each proposal addresses only one topic. Where cross-border sections or integration are involved, joint applications or clear commitments from all Member States concerned are recommended.

Geographic and Project Eligibility

Beneficiary scope:activities and costs must take place in eligible countries: EU Member States (including OCTs) and countries associated to the CEF Programme. Exceptionally, entities from other countries may be allowed if considered essential for the project. Projects must take place within the TEN-T network. For vessel eligibility, vessels must operate on routes involving at least one TEN-T core or comprehensive maritime port (for maritime vessels) or operate within the TEN-T inland waterways network (for inland vessels) and meet size and passenger/cargo criteria defined in the call.

Mentioned countries and region:EU Member States and countries associated to the CEF Programme (specific associated country list to be checked in the Funding & Tenders Portal). The call references the TEN-T network and applicable EU regulations; therefore the geographic region is EU/associated countries.

Technologies, Activities and Technical Requirements

Target sectors and technologies:maritime and inland ports, short sea shipping, inland waterways. Technologies and technical elements explicitly mentioned and eligible where relevant: Onshore-power supply systems (OPS), Shore-side Battery Charging (SBC) systems, Shore-side Power Banks (battery energy storage systems), on-site renewable generation (photovoltaics, wind turbines), electric propulsion systems (full electric), hybrid propulsion systems, hydrogen propulsion, ammonia propulsion, methanol propulsion, biomethane propulsion, substitute energy sources (renewable energy generated on board or electricity from OPS), energy storage systems for propulsion, wind assisted propulsion systems (WAPS), electrical grid upgrades within port limits when needed for OPS/SBC, grid connection from port to the external grid.

1. 1Vessel eligibility details: maritime ferries and short sea vessels of at least 2000 GT engaged in regular services calling at TEN-T core or comprehensive maritime ports; inland waterway vessels operating in the TEN-T inland waterways network (vessels longer than €20 Mwith >12 passenger capacity as per Directive (EU) 2016/1629).
2. 2Grant limits for vessels: maximum €5,000,000 per vessel for fitting or retrofitting of energy systems; retrofitting contracts must be signed after call publication and no later than 31 December 2027.
3. 3SBC requirement for hybrid retrofits: battery capacity must be sufficient to cover at least 10 nautical miles.
4. 4Synergetic elements constraint: on-site renewables, storage and grid connection may be included as synergetic elements but must not exceed 20% of total eligible project costs and must primarily serve OPS/SBC systems.

Costs, Funding Type and Financial Rules

Funding type:budget-based action grant under CEF (Action Grant Budget-Based, CEF-AG). The grant reimburses eligible actual costs according to the Grant Agreement funding rates. The project grant is budget-based (actual costs) and will reimburse eligible costs only.

Maximum and typical amounts:Maximum EU contribution per grant agreement capped at €10,000,000. For fitting/retrofitting of vessels, support limited to €5,000,000 per vessel. Applicants are strongly encouraged to request EU contribution of at least €1,000,000 where possible.

Eligible cost categories and special rules:eligible costs follow Model Grant Agreement rules. Funding rates: maximum 30% of eligible costs for works (70% for works in outermost regions where applicable). Budget categories include personnel, subcontracting, purchase costs (equipment, other goods/services), synergetic elements, works in outermost regions, and others. Indirect costs flat rate: 0% of eligible direct costs for this call. VAT is not eligible. Land purchases are not eligible. Operating expenditure (OPEX), staff costs of the applicant (even in-house), studies, design and supervision costs, communication, dissemination and project management costs (in-house or outsourced), administrative costs, rental/leasing and certain grid connection equipment owned by DSOs/TSOs are listed as non-eligible costs for this topic.

Financial Conditions, Co-funding and Blending

Co-funding requirement:Projects must be supported by confirmed financing from a public or private financial institution of at least 10% of the proposed project investment cost. The financing must be duly approved by the financing partner's governing bodies in line with their rules and procedures; if the financing approval letter is not available at application, a valid financing approval letter must be submitted within 30 days after selection notification (failure to deliver will terminate grant preparation). Blending operations with InvestEU and combination with other public/private sources are foreseen and encouraged in line with Article 17 of the CEF Regulation.

Prefinancing, reporting and guarantees:prefinancing normally between 25% and 50% depending on grant type and duration; prefinancing payment 30 days after entry into force or provision of financial guarantee if required. Prefinancing guarantees may be requested and must be issued by approved banks or financial institutions; originals required during grant preparation. Interim payments and final payment (balance) subject to interim reporting and final cost acceptance; the grant must not produce profit and revenue-generating actions by for-profit organisations must declare revenue which will be deducted if profit arises.

Application Process, Documents and Templates

Application type:open call, single-stage submission. Proposals must be submitted electronically through the Funding & Tenders Portal. Applications consist of Part A (administrative forms entered online) and Part B (technical description uploaded as PDF using the template provided in the Submission System) plus mandatory annexes and supporting documents. Application forms and mandated annex templates (to be downloaded and re-uploaded from the Submission System) include: detailed budget table per work package (Excel), timetable/Gantt chart template, letter(s) of support / Member State agreement template, environmental compliance file (ECF) template, financing approval letter template (non-implementing partner financial approval letter), and other templates described in the call documentation. The call Part B must not exceed 120 pages; minimum font size Arial 9.

1. 1Mandatory annexes at submission: detailed budget table per WP (rounded to the nearest thousand), environmental compliance file (ECF) for all applications under this call, letters of support (MS agreement), list of previous projects and activity reports (unless exempted), timetable/Gantt chart, and other call-specified documents.
2. 2Financing approval letter: if not available at application, the coordinator must provide it within 30 days of selection notification; otherwise the grant preparation will be terminated.
3. 3Environmental Compliance File: must cover development consent, EIA Directive compliance, SEA Directive, Habitats Directive (Natura 2000) and Water Framework Directive compliance as applicable.

Application form templates and structure:Applicants must use the application templates in the Submission System: Application Form Part A (online), Application Form Part B (download template for technical description), detailed budget table per WP (Excel template), timetable/Gantt chart template, letter of support (Member State agreement template), environmental compliance file template, non-implementing partner financial approval letter template and other annex templates described in the call documentation. The detailed Part B structure includes sections on project description, priority and urgency, maturity, quality, impact (CBA where relevant), catalytic effect, work plan and WPs, ethics and security declarations, and annex list.

Evaluation, Award Criteria and Process

Evaluation procedure:single-stage submission with one-step evaluation. Formal admissibility and eligibility checks precede evaluation. Evaluation phases: individual expert evaluation, consensus phase and panel review. Evaluation period indicated October–March 2027 with result notification in April 2027 and grant signature May/June 2027 (indicative). Invitation to grant preparation does not constitute a formal funding commitment; legal and financial validation (legal entity validation, financial capacity checks, exclusion checks) will follow selection.

1. 1Award criteria (each scored 0–5; thresholds apply): Priority and urgency (EU added value, sectoral policy alignment) — minimum 3; Maturity (readiness, permits, contracting, financing) — minimum 3; Quality (implementation plan, risk management, maintenance) — minimum 3; Impact (economic, social, environmental and climate impacts, innovation, digitalisation, cross-border dimension) — minimum 3; Catalytic effect (financial additionality, leverage, mobilisation of investment) — minimum 3. Overall pass threshold: at least 15/25 and meet all individual thresholds.
2. 2Tie-breaking order for equal scores: higher Priority and urgency score, then Maturity, Catalytic effect, Impact, Quality, and finally lower recommended EU contribution (ascending).

Project Implementation and Duration

Project starting date and duration fixed in the Grant Agreement. Retroactive starting dates may be exceptionally allowed but cannot be earlier than proposal submission date. Maximum project duration for works projects should not exceed 31/12/2030. Milestones and deliverables will be managed through the Portal Grant Management System and annexed to the Grant Agreement. Reporting requirements include periodic and interim financial and technical reports; payments are linked to reporting and deliverables.

Operational and Financial Capacity Checks

Financial capacity:applicants must demonstrate stable and sufficient resources to implement the project. Financial capacity checks will normally be performed for beneficiaries except public bodies, Member State organisations and if the individual requested grant is <= €60,000. The Agency may require prefinancing guarantees, enhanced financial responsibility (joint and several liability), staged prefinancing or additional evidence if capacity is insufficient.

Operational capacity:applicants must have the know-how, qualifications and resources to implement tasks. This is assessed via Part B (Quality award criterion) including activity reports, list of previous projects (last 4 years), CVs, and evidence of operational resources. Public bodies, Member State organisations and international organisations are exempted from operational capacity checks.

Key Constraints, Ineligible Costs and Compliance

1. 1Non-eligible costs specifically listed in the topic: land acquisition; renting/leasing of facilities; procurement and permits; costs related to grid connection equipment owned by DSOs or TSOs; administrative costs including travel and subsistence and indirect costs; staff costs of the applicant (even in-house); costs for studies, design and work supervision, communication, dissemination and project management (in-house or outsourced); OPEX including consumables and energy consumption; upgrade of existing electric recharging infrastructure.
2. 2Synergetic elements cap: may not exceed 20% of total eligible project costs and must primarily serve OPS/SBC.
3. 3No financial support to third parties under this call (financial support to third parties is not allowed).
4. 4Facilities must be accessible on a non-discriminatory basis.

Application Stages, Assessment Rounds and Success Rates

Application stages:single-stage submission with one-step evaluation and subsequent grant preparation. Applicants passing eligibility and meeting award criteria will be invited to grant preparation where further checks and fine-tuning occur. Number of selection stages effectively: 1 (submission/evaluation) plus grant preparation phase (legal and financial validation).

Success rates:not specified in call documentation; success depends on competition and ranking against award criteria and available budget. No explicit historical success ratio is provided in the topic text; applicants should expect competitive selection and design proposals to meet all thresholds and maximise award-criterion scores.

Templates and Application Structure Guidance

Templates to be used from the Funding & Tenders Portal Submission System:Standard application form (Part B template specific to this call in Submission System), Detailed budget table per WP (Excel), Letter of support / Member State agreement template (docx), Timetable (Gantt chart) template (docx), Environmental compliance file template (docx), Financing Approval Letter template (docx). Applicants must fill Part A in the Portal and upload Part B and annexes as PDFs (Excel for budget table where applicable). Part B structure follows standard CEF Part B headings: Project description, Priority and urgency, Maturity, Quality, Impact (CBA if required), Catalytic effect, Work plan/WPs, Ethics, Security, Declarations and Annex list. Page limit for Part B is 120 pages; annexes do not count towards the limit unless specified.

1. 1Suggested Part B annex submission order: 1) Detailed budget table per WP (Excel), 2) Timetable/Gantt chart, 3) Environmental compliance file, 4) Letter(s) of support / Member State agreement, 5) Financing approval letter (if available), 6) Activity reports and list of previous projects (unless exempted), 7) Other project-specific supporting documents (permits, contracts, studies).

Success Conditions and Contracting

If selected, projects enter grant preparation where legal entity validation, financial capacity, exclusion checks, bank account validations and any missing documents are requested. The Grant Agreement will define starting date, duration, milestones, deliverables, budget, funding rates and payment schedule. Prefinancing guarantees and certificates may be required depending on financial assessment and grant amount. The Grant Agreement will also include provisions on durability, communication and dissemination, IPR, security and liability regime for recoveries.

Contact and Help

For help related to this call applicants should contact CINEA-CEF-TRANSPORT-CALLS@ec.europa.eu. For IT and submission questions, use the Funding & Tenders Portal IT Helpdesk and Online Manual. Topic Q&A will be available on the Topic page of the Portal and updates may be posted there.

Further reference documents and templates are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal Topic page and the Portal Reference Documents section (Model Grant Agreement, EU Grants AGA, Work Programme, CEF Regulation, EU Financial Regulation). Funding & Tenders Portal Call document - PDF

This summary is based on the official call documentation and the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page for CEF-T-2026. Applicants must use the templates and exact instructions provided in the Submission System and read the Call document and Model Grant Agreement in full before applying. Topic page ¹

Footnotes

1. 1For help related to this call contact CINEA-CEF-TRANSPORT-CALLS@ec.europa.eu. Submission and templates are available via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Submission System.

Call Objectives and Scope

This call aims to modernise maritime transport infrastructure on the TEN-T network and reduce the environmental impact of transport by promoting efficient short sea shipping links and greening inland shipping ¹. The scope is limited exclusively to works projects supporting the deployment of Onshore-power supply (OPS) and charging infrastructure in TEN-T maritime and inland ports, as well as the fitting or retrofitting of energy systems for inland waterway and short sea shipping vessels ².

Key Technologies Supported:Projects must utilize electric, hybrid, hydrogen (H2), ammonia, methanol, biomethane technologies, substitute sources of energy, or wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) ².

Who Can Apply

Eligible applicants are legal entities (public or private bodies) established in EU Member States or countries associated with the CEF Programme, including Ukraine and Moldova ⁴. Potential beneficiaries include port authorities, shipping companies, infrastructure managers, energy providers, and public administrations ⁵. A consortium is not mandatory; single-beneficiary applications are accepted ⁵.

Eligible Vessel Categories

1. 1Maritime ferries of at least 2000 GT engaged in regular service between TEN-T core or comprehensive ports
2. 2Short sea shipping vessels of at least 2000 GT operating in coastal areas and calling at TEN-T ports
3. 3Inland waterway vessels longer than 20 meters with more than 12 passengers' capacity operating in the TEN-T network

Support is strictly excluded for exclusive day-trip tourism vessels, recreational craft, tugboats, icebreakers, and cruise vessels ².

Funding Details and Conditions

Projects must be supported by financing from a public or private financial institution of at least 10% of the total project investment cost ⁵. The fitting or retrofitting contract must be signed after the call publication date and no later than 31 December 2027 ².

Critical Requirements

1. 1Vessels must fly an EU flag and serve at least one TEN-T port for a minimum of 5 years after the project ends ²
2. 2Hybrid electric vessels must have Shore-side Battery Charging (SBC) and battery capacity covering at least 10 Nautical miles ²
3. 3Infrastructure must be accessible to all operators on a non-discriminatory basis ²
4. 4Applicants must explain the project's contribution to EU manufacturing capacity and 'made in EU' technologies ²

Application Timeline and Process

The call opened on 18 June 2026, with the submission deadline set for 06 October 2026 at 17:00 CET ⁴. Applications must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal ⁵. Mandatory documents include the Application Form (Parts A and B), detailed budget table, environmental compliance file, letters of support (Member State agreement), and a financing approval letter ⁵.

Footnotes

1. 1Official Call Document: CEF-T-2026, European Commission, 2026 [[ec.europa.eu
2. 2Scope and Eligibility Criteria detailed in Section 2 of the Call Document [[ec.europa.eu
3. 3Regulation (EU) 2023/1804 on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure [[data.europa.eu
4. 4WestMed Initiative Call Summary: Deadline 6 October 2026 [[westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu
5. 5Vleva.eu Grant Summary: Eligible beneficiaries and financial conditions [[vleva.eu