The Waterborne Technology Platform has welcomed the results of the EU Innovation Fund 2025 Net-Zero Technologies Call, providing opportunities to further upscale and deploy European innovations, although achieving the sector’s decarbonisation targets will require a systemic approach across the entire waterborne ecosystem.
Following publication of the results of the EU Innovation Fund 2025 Net-Zero Technologies Call, 77 proposals have been selected to receive €3.4bn across 23 EEA countries. The projects span a wide range of Net-Zero technologies and will collectively cut 290 million tonnes CO2e in their first decade of operation. Among the selected projects, five will install innovative technologies on board ships, one will deploy offshore charging infrastructure, and two will supply sustainable alternative fuels for the waterborne transport sector. Given the waterborne sector’s contribution to overall EU ETS revenues, Waterborne TP says funding support should be increased to accelerate maritime decarbonisation.
The European commercial fleet is among the largest in the world, representing 35% of the global shipping fleet. European companies supply almost half of the world’s maritime equipment and over 70% of the world’s large marine engines. Furthermore, the European waterborne sector includes approximately 13,000 inland navigation vessels, which are essential for intra-EU trade. European ports are also gateways for trade, logistics, energy and military mobility, serving as strategic hubs for the energy transition, modal shift, and decarbonisation of the waterborne sector.
Given the long lifetimes of waterborne assets, new solutions must be deployed as early as possible. Accelerating research, development and innovation, as well as supporting upscaling and deployment across all shipping segments, is therefore critical to boosting the competitiveness, resilience and sustainability of the European waterborne sector.
Jaap Gebraad, Secretary General, Waterborne TP, said: “We welcome the projects selected under the EU Innovation Fund, particularly those supporting the piloting of technologies on board of ships. The upcoming dedicated maritime call in the context of the EU Innovation Fund, scheduled for December, is another encouraging step towards accelerating innovation in the waterborne sector. However, to achieve the decarbonisation objectives while strengthening the competitiveness of the sector, funding criteria must reflect the diversity of the European waterborne sector and ensure that all vessel types and services can access and benefit, with a particular focus on SMEs, which form the backbone of the sector. At the same time, investing in individual vessels will not be sufficient to achieve our ambitions. Given the long lifetimes of waterborne assets, systematic deployment of innovations is essential, addressing the entire ecosystem, – from fuels to vessels and infrastructure. In this context, the proposed European Competitiveness Fund will be key to enabling investments, supporting the systematic and large-scale deployment of innovations in line with the priorities identified in the recently published Waterborne Technology Roadmaps.”
