Autonomous vessels in short sea shipping and inland waterways

About

Opens for applications on 2026-12-15. A European Commission call for proposals. Expected Outcome: Project outputs and results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes: Demonstration of remote-control operation of vessels without crew, controlled remotely (degree three [1] ). Development of concepts for fully autonomous ship where the operating system on the vessel is able to make decisions and determine actions by itself (degree four [2] ). Strengthen market confidence in the integration of remote and automated navigation in ship types and services that may see a shortage of workforce in the next decade. Contribute to the EU Port Strategy and the EU Industrial Waterborne Strategy, as well as the EU AI Continent Action Plan [3] and the upcoming EU Apply AI Strategy. Scope: Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) have been the focus for several projects both with EU-funding and individual countries but a major breakthrough leading to extensive deployment and widespread commercial maturity are still not achieved. Autonomous vessels can offer safer and more efficient operations and cost savings. New skills and training needed for MASS is a critical issue to ensure safe operations. Projects are expected to address all the following aspects

Who can apply

Usually organisations in EU member states and associated countries, often in a consortium. Some calls are open to partners from other countries. Check the call conditions.

Best for

• Researchers
• NGOs
• Founders