Maritime Funding Opportunities

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

  • IUK The Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) Pathfinder programme: Demonstrate funds projects with requests between £500k and £2M to support the development of products and CAM enabling services that prove enhanced capability and unlock clear commercial opportunities in CAM within the UK. Apply by 17 December 2025
  • IUK The Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) Pathfinder programme: Enable funds projects with requests between £2M and £4M to conduct trials led by service operators or entities who benefit directly from the end use of CAM in live or analogous settings. Apply by 17 December 2025
  • Lloyd’s Register Foundation is inviting organisations and communities to apply to its new Maritime Connected funding offer, as it looks to fund projects and initiatives aimed at connecting parts of the maritime system in relation to current or future safety challenges. The closing date for applications is 6th February 2026, there was an informational webinar  for applicants held on 3 September 2025.
  • Clean Maritime Research Hub Wave 3 Flexible Funding Call is open to fund 11 projects at up to £50k each for both Hub’s consortium universities and external institutions. Apply by 30 January 2026
  • Maritime and Last Mile Net Zero (MaLaMi) Place-Based Impact Acceleration Account (PBIAA) Round 2 funding call is open for researchers to work with industry and civic partners to accelerate the impact of their research. Three levels of funding are available from £6k to £40k. Apply by 26 Feb 2026
  • Lloyd’s Register Foundation (LRF) Small Grants scheme offer grants up to £10k for building partnerships or conduct pilot studies. Second round application by 13th April 2026

UK funding calls – applicable to maritime

  • The iX programme is supporting the Net Zero Industry Launchpad to offer an exciting new pilot Challenge Fund, welcoming private and public sector organisations in Southwest Wales to become challenge holders. The project themes will centre around circular economy, net zero and decarbonisation. Successful challenge solution providers will be offered grant funding of up to £25k. Apply by 5 Jan 2026
  • Addressing nuclear fission challenges for a prosperous future by EPSRC. Apply before 15 Jan 2026
  • Innovate UK Growth Catalyst Investor Partnerships Round 2 with grant funding for late-stage R&D projects of up to £2m in size, subject to aligned private investment through Innovate UK’s proven Investor Partnerships funding model. Apply by 3 Feb 2026
  • Local Innovation Partnerships Fund for triple helix partnerships by UKRI. Max award £20k. Apply by 12 Feb 2026.
  • Statements of Need in Research Infrastructure by EPSRC Open – no closing date
  • Strategic infrastructure outlines Minimum £400k award to purchase infrastructure including equipment, resources to improve UK scientific capability and enable cutting-edge research of high priority 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

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
  • Call for tenders on “Oban 1 Linkspan, Berth and adjacent Slipway Modifications & Repairs. Find out more
  • Call for tenders on “New or Refurbished Pontoons for Duncan Mills Memorial Slipway” Submit before 8 December 2025

UK finance/investment opportunities

  • Scottish Inward Investment Catalyst Fund Apply before 7 November 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 – Maritime

  • Real time monitoring of regulated and non-regulated emissions from all types of vessels and other port activities in order to enforce emission limits in waterfront cities (HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D5-17) by EC Apply before 20 Jan 2026
  • Accelerating freight transport and logistics digital innovation (HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-08) by EC Apply before 20 Jan 2026
  • Reliable data and practices to measure and calculate transport emissions in multimodal transport chains (HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-09) by EC Apply before 20 Jan 2026
  • Integrating inland waterway transport in smart shipping and multimodal logistics chains (HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-10) by EC Apply before 20 Jan 2026
  • Large-scale production of liquid advanced biofuels and renewable fuels of non-biological origin (HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D3-01) by EC Apply before 17 February 2026
  • Competitiveness, energy security and integration aspects of advanced biofuels and renewable fuels of non-biological origin value chains (HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D3-02) by EC Apply before 17 Feb 2026
  • Improved reliability and optimised operations and maintenance for wind energy systems (HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D3-07) by EC Apply before 17 February 2026
  • Understand and minimise the environmental impacts of offshore wind energy (HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D3-08) by EC Apply before 17 February 2026
  • 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 Apply before 17 Feb 2026
  • Development of innovative solutions strengthening the security of renewable energy value chains (HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D3-14) by EC Apply before 17 February 2026
  • Innovative solutions for a generative AI-powered digital spine of the EU energy system (HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D3-19) by EC Apply before 17 February 2026
  • Innovative tools and services to manage and empower energy communities (HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D3-20) by EC Apply before 17 February 2026
  • New CO2 capture technologies (HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D3-24) by EC Apply before 17 Feb 2026

European funding – applicable to maritime

  • Development of sustainable and design-to-cost batteries with (energy-)efficient manufacturing processes and based on advanced and safer materials (Batt4EU Partnership) (HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D2-01) by EC Apply before 20 Jan 2026

Partnership opportunities

Training opportunities

  • Discover Digital Transformation Training Programme by STFC Find out more
  • Training opportunities provided by Supplier Development Programme Find out more

Award opportunities

  • The MacRobert Award for UK engineering innovation Apply by 31 January 2026
  • Women in Innovation Awards 2025/26 by Innovate UK for women founders or co-founders of UK registered SMEs to apply for a package of support that includes a grant of up to £75,000 and bespoke business support, to further their ambitious growth plans. Apply by 4 Feb 2026