European Maritime Space and Inland ports (AFIF) - works

Objective

The objective of this call is to modernise maritime transport infrastructure on the TEN-T network and reducing the environmental impact of transport through efficient short sea shipping links and greening of inland shipping.

Scope

Only works projects related to:

• Projects supporting the deployment of Onshore-power supply and charging infrastructure in TEN-T maritime and inland ports in accordance with Regulation 2023/1804 [1].
• The fitting or retrofitting of the energy systems of inland waterway vessels and short sea shipping vessels (including ferries) [2], with electric, hybrid, H2, ammonia, methanol and biomethane technologies, substitute sources of energy [3] and the installation of wind assisted propulsion systems (WAPS).

For projects supporting the deployment of Onshore-power supply and charging infrastructure in TEN-T maritime and inland ports:

• Projects may include Onshore-power supply systems and Shore-side Battery Charging (SBC) systems at port-side. These systems shall be intended for seagoing freight/passenger vessels (including tugboats and cruise vessels) and inland waterway vessels.
• Projects may include an upgrade of electrical grid within the maritime and inland ports if it is needed for the Onshore-power supply systems or the SBC systems.
• Works projects in TEN-T maritime and inland ports may include on-site renewable energy generation (e.g. photovoltaic power plants, wind turbines, etc.), grid connection from the port to the grid outside of the port, and Shore side Power Banks (SPB) i.e. Energy Storage Systems in the form of batteries. These elements may be included as a synergetic element in accordance with Section 9.6 of the Work Programme and shall be primarily used for the Onshore-power supply systems and the SBC systems. Such synergetic elements must improve the socio-economic, climate or environmental benefits of the project and may not exceed 20% of the total eligible costs of the project.
• Facilities and infrastructure supported under CEF must be accessible for use by all operators on a non-discriminatory basis.

For merged port entities or entities managing more than one maritime port, only the geographic area of the maritime port indicated in Annex II to the TEN-T Regulation may be included in the project.

For the projects supporting fitting or retrofitting of energy systems of short sea shipping vessels’ (including ferries) and inland waterway vessels, the support shall be provided to:

• Maritime ferries of at least 2000 GT engaged in regular service for the transport of passengers, vehicles and / or cargo on fixed route(s) between two or more maritime ports of which at least one is a TEN-T core or comprehensive maritime port.
• Short sea shipping vessels of at least 2000 GT operating passengers and/or freight transport services in coastal sea areas and calling at least at one TEN-T core or comprehensive maritime port.
• Inland waterway vessels operating in the TEN-T inland waterways transport network as set out in Section 2 of the TEN-T Regulation N° 2024/1679, within the scope of Directive (EU) 2016/1629 (vessels longer than 20 meters with more than 12 passengers' capacity).

Support shall be limited to the costs of fitting or retrofitting of the vessels’ energy systems (the fully electric or hybrid power propulsion system, wind-assisted propulsion system, substitute sources of energy and energy storage system both used predominantly for a propulsion system). Applications shall contain a clear cost breakdown per component / equipment necessary for the fitting / retrofitting of the vessels’ energy system(s).

More specifically, the support to power propulsion system shall be limited to:

1. the fitting of newbuilds with electric, hybrid, H2, ammonia or methanol technologies;
2. retrofitting of existing vessels with electric, hybrid, H2, ammonia, methanol or biomethane technologies.

The hybrid electric vessels must have, as a result of fitting or retrofitting, Shore-side Battery charging (SBC) and their battery capacity shall be sufficient to cover at least 10 Nautical miles.

The fitting or retrofitting contract must be signed after the call publication date and no later than 31 December 2027.

Support shall not be provided to Exclusive Day trip tourism vessels, recreational craft, tugboats, icebreakers or cruise vessels.

The applicants shall indicate what fuelling and recharging capacities are currently or will be available by the end of the project at the ports served by the supported vessels.

The applicants should explain the contribution of their proposed project to the development of EU manufacturing capacity and made in EU technologies in line with the EU Industrial Maritime Strategy.

For the fitting or retrofitting of the vessels, the grant amount shall be limited to a maximum of EUR 5 million per vessel.

The vessels receiving support must fly an EU flag and shall serve at least one TEN-T maritime or inland port for a minimum of 5 years after the end of the project.

Non eligible costs

• costs related to land acquisition, renting/leasing of facilities, procurement and permits;
• costs related to grid connection equipment owned by the Distribution System Operator (DSO) or the Transmission System Operator (TSO);
• administrative costs, including travel and subsistence costs and any indirect costs;
• staff costs of the applicant even for work done in-house;
• costs relating to any type of studies, design and work supervision, communication, dissemination and project management either in-house or outsourced;
• Operating Expenditure (OPEX) including consumables and energy consumption;
• upgrade of existing electric recharging infrastructure;

[1] Regulation (EU) 2023/1804 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 September 2023 on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure, and repealing Directive 2014/94/EU (OJ L 234, 22.9.2023, pp. 1-47, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1804/oj)

[2] Vessels engaged in inland waterway and short sea shipping traffic as defined in the TEN-T Regulation.

[3] ‘Substitute sources of energy’ means renewable energy generated on board or electricity supplied from OPS, as defined in article 3(8) of the Regulation (EU) 2023/1805 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 September 2023 on the use of renewable and low-carbon fuels in maritime transport, and amending Directive 2009/16/EC).