The French government announced the launch of a call for proposals to the CORIMER Low-Carbon Ships initiative to accelerate the development of low-carbon vessels and support technologies for the decarbonisation of the shipping industry.
The Low Carbon Ships initiative aims to support the development of technological building blocks and demonstrators for the decarbonization of maritime and river transport and service operations, in two areas:
- Reduction of energy consumption and impacts (only for projects not involving the use of fossil fuels): energy efficiency and operational excellence, performance optimization, routing-type driver assistance devices, drag optimization, reduction of CO₂ emissions into the atmosphere, CO₂ capture and storage (CCS).
- Integration of renewable or low-carbon energy into ships and boats: innovative propulsion systems, electric propulsion, sustainable fuels (except H₂), low-carbon energies, sail propulsion.
The deadline for submitting proposals to the initiative is 15 October 2025. The projects may be led by a single partner or a consortium of up to five partners.
The minimum project cost thresholds are:
- €1 million for projects, either individual or in consortium, led or coordinated by a small or medium enterprise (SME).
- €4 million for projects, either individual or in consortium, led or coordinated by a large company.
Selected projects will receive funding in the form of a combination of grants and repayable advances.
The evaluation of proposals will consider factors such as financial planning, innovation, and environmental impact.
