Note:
The majority of the funding opportunities listed are specifically targeted at maritime-related projects. However, some are general funding opportunities that, while not exclusively maritime, are still applicable to maritime research and innovation.
UK funding calls – Maritime
- The Captain’s Table launches 2025 startup competition for entrepreneurs seeking to connect with the shipping industry and scale their businesses across Asia and globally Apply before 31 August 2025
- Global Safety Evidence Centre funding call 2025 by Lloyd’s Register Foundation, open to academic institutions, research organisations, non-profit organisations and industry worldwide. These grants are intended to create evidence to improve understanding and sharing of which safety interventions work; inform decision making; and highlight and fill knowledge and data gaps, ultimately influencing others to act and leading to better safety outcomes. Submit Expression of Interest by 17 Sep 2025
- ESA – Enhancing Port Safety and Efficiency through Space Apply before 18 September 2025
- Open Call for Innovation CY2025 – Cycle 3 by DASA Apply before 23 September 2025
- Innovation in Support of Operations Phase 2 – Cycle 6 by DASA Apply before 14 October 2025
- ESA – Coastal resilience to climate change Apply before 31 October 2025
UK funding calls – applicable to maritime
- IUK will fund and organise flights, accommodation to visit Horizon Europe Brokerage events from Sep 25 – Mar 26. Apply by various dates (15 Aug to 24 Sep 2025)
- IAA Cross-institutional funding call 2025 for researchers at the Universities of Heriot-Watt, Edinburgh, Glasgow, St Andrews and Strathclyde. Submit EoI before 10 September 2025
- Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP): 2025 to 2026 round three by IUK, Apply by 17 Sep 2025
- Ingenious public engagement grants scheme prioritises projects that reach diverse and underrepresented audiences including communities in the most deprived neighbourhoods Apply before 24 September 2025
- 2026 European Prize for Women Innovators Apply before 25 September 2025
- Apply for funding for doctoral focal awards (previously CDT) by UKRI to deliver cohort-based doctoral education in civil and defence nuclear skills to home students. Intend to submit by 12 Sep 2025, final submission by 23 Oct 2025
- Local Innovation Partnerships Fund pre-announcement by UKRI. Opening date to be confirmed.
- Statements of Need in Research Infrastructure by EPSRC Open – no closing date
- Rapid Projects Fund by EDRC (Energy Demand Research Centre) Find out more and apply
- SMART: SCOTLAND grants for feasibility studies for SMEs conducting feasibility studies for high-risk, highly ambitious research and development (R&D) projects by Scottish Enterprise Find out more
- Measurement for Business (M4B) Funding by NPL for UK SME to access NPL experts and facilities Find out more and apply
- ICURe Explore programme cohorts Find out more
UK fellowships
- Research Fellowships by Royal Academy of Engineering Apply before 17 September 2025
- Ernest Rutherford Fellowship 2025 by STFC Apply before 1 October 2025
- Turing AI Pioneer Interdisciplinary Fellowships for established researchers without a background in core AI research, and want to build domain relevant AI capability by UKRI Apply before 14 October 2025
- Future Leaders Fellowships: Round 10, business and non-academic by UKRI Apply before 5 November 2025
UK tenders
- Call for tenders on “Marine Vessel Replacement Project” Find out more
- Call for tenders on “Appointment of RSL or Development Partner for Development of Clune Park Site in Port Glasgow” Find out more
UK finance/investment opportunities
- Innovation loans future economy by Innovation UK for SMEs support loans between £100,000 and £2 million. Round 22 close on 27 August 2025
- Defence Innovation Loans by DASA. Cycle 3 close on 2 Sep 2025
- British Business Bank Growth Guarantee Scheme support loan sizes of up to £2m and provides the lender with a 70% government-backed guarantee. Find out more
- British Business Bank Investment Funds Find out more
- British Business Bank Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II offers a range of commercial finance options with smaller loans and debt finance from £25,000 to £2 million and equity investment up to £5 million. Find out more
- British Business Bank Investment Fund for Wales offers a range of commercial finance options with smaller loans from £25,000 to £100,000, debt finance from £100,000 to £2 million and equity investment up to £5 million. Find out more
European funding calls
- Space for Intermodal Transport by ESA Apply before 12 September 2025
- Enhancing Port Safety and Efficiency through Space by ESA Apply before 18 September 2025
- Coastal resilience to climate change by ESA Apply before 31 October 2025
- Open Call for Proposals – Kick-Starts by ESA Find out more
- Open Call for Proposals – Feasibility Studies and Demonstration Projects by ESA Find out more
- Cost-effective next-generation batteries for long-duration stationary storage (Batt4EU Partnership) (HORIZON-CL5-2025-01-Two-Stage-D2-02) by EC Apply before 2 September 2025
- Critical elements for energy security of grid and storage technologies (HORIZON-CL5-2025-01-Two-Stage-D3-23) by EC Apply before 2 September 2025
- Coordinated call with India on waste to renewable hydrogen (HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-08) by EC Apply before 2 September 2025
- Clean Energy Transition Co-Funded Partnership (HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-10) by EC Apply before 2 September 2025
- Innovative manufacturing of wind energy technologies (HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-06) by EC Apply before 2 September 2025
- Control and operation tools for a RES-based energy system (HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-17) by EC Apply before 2 September 2025
- Cross-regional network and market model for optimisation of long duration storage (HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-21) by EC Apply before 2 September 2025
- Effects of CO2-stream impurities on CO2 transport and storage (HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-25) by EC Apply before 2 September 2025
- European investment atlas of potential CO2 storage sites (HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-26) by EC Apply before 2 September 2025
- De-risking wave energy technology development through transnational pre-commercial procurement of wave energy research and development (HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D3-13) by EC Opening on 16 September 2025
- Towards modern, integrated, and effective fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) systems (HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-11) by EC Apply before 16 September 2025
- EU-India cooperation on cumulative impacts of marine pollution on marine organisms and ecosystems (HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-05) by EC Apply before 17 September 2025
- Integrated and coordinated approaches for coral reefs and associated ecosystems (mangroves and seagrass beds) conservation, restoration, and climate mitigation and adaptation (HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-07) by EC Apply before 17 September 2025
- Digital technologies and energy transition in fisheries and/or aquaculture (HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-03) by EC Apply before 24 September 2025
- Restoring Ocean and Waters in waterfront Cities and their Ports (HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-05) by EC Apply before 24 September 2025
- EU Digital Twin Ocean: Contribution to the EU DTO core infrastructure through applications for sustainable ocean management (HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-08) by EC Apply before 24 September 2025
Partnership opportunities
- Spanish shipyard looking for a real-world validation partner in research or innovation projects in manufacturing processes using composites, including recycled or innovative materials such as biocomposites and circular solutions. In addition, it also looking for industrial partners or shipbuilders to outsource the manufacturing of components or vessels using composite and sustainable materials, under a manufacturing agreement.
Training opportunities
- Discover Digital Transformation Training Programme by STFC Find out more
- Training opportunities provided by Supplier Development Programme Find out more