A new grant from Innovate UK and the Department for Transport (DfT) is offering up to £20 million for companies developing innovative maritime technologies designed to reduce well-to-wake greenhouse gas emissions.
Boasting a total pot of £150 million and closing on 16 September 2026, the Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure (ZEVI) Round 2 competition is made up of three strands, each targeting different innovation areas:
- Alternative Fuels – Innovative alternative fuel vessels and port refuelling infrastructure.
- Electric Power – 100% battery electric vessels plus charging infrastructure and novel shore power systems, including port infrastructure and vessel upgrades
- Energy Efficiency – Innovative vessel energy efficiency technologies and any accompanying upgrades to infrastructure
Successful projects are required to demonstrate their technologies for three years without additional funding support. Unlike many grant competitions, this call can support capital-intensive demonstration projects, including vessel and infrastructure upgrades, where costs are clearly justified within the project
In this blog, I’ve detailed the key things you need to know about this competition, including who’s eligible, how much funding you can apply for, and how to submit an application.
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Eligibility Criteria for Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure 2
As with most innovation grants, eligibility for the ZEVI Round 2 competition is based on both your project and your organisation.
Your Project
Your project must be designed to advance a technology that can reduce well-to-wake emissions. These are defined as the combination of well-to-tank and tank-to-wake emissions. This covers the following areas:
- 100% battery electric vessels
- Alternative fuel vessels
- Alternative fuel bunkering and storage infrastructure within ports
- Shore power and port energy infrastructure
- Vessel charging infrastructure
- Vessel energy efficiency technology
Your project must align with the specific focus of the strand you’re applying to:
- Alternative Fuels – Defined as zero or near-zero GHG emission fuels (those with no more than 19.0 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent (gCO2eq) per megajoule (MJ)
- Electric Power – This includes any physical structures or systems necessary to enable 100% battery electric vessel operations, onshore or offshore
- Energy Efficiency – This strand focuses on vessel technologies that reduce both the CO2eq emissions and energy use of vessels per unit of transport work
In addition, your project must:
- Start by 1 April 2027
- Have total eligible costs of between £6 million and £60 million
- Have a maximum grant funding request of £30 million, with single participants receiving no more than £20 million
You must claim all grant funding by 31 December 2029. You must also complete your non-funded three-year demonstration between 1 January 2030 and 31 December 2032.
Your Organisation
All projects must be collaborative, meaning involving at least two organisations.
Consortia must be led by a UK-registered business and include relevant UK maritime or infrastructure partners:
- Ship owners
- Operators or manufacturers
- Port and infrastructure owners are aligned with the project scope.
Your consortia may also include UK-registered:
- Academic institutions
- Businesses
- Charities
- Not for profits
- Public sector organisations
- Research and technology organisations
How Much Funding Can I Apply for?
As mentioned, the headline amount of funding available is up to £20 million per organisation. However, the exact answer depends on a few variables.
Applying as a Business
As a business, the size of grant you can apply for depends on your size, the type of project you’re looking to conduct and your total eligible costs.
| Project Type | Micro/Small | Medium | Large |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Research* | 70% | 60% | 50% |
| Experimental Development** | 45% | 35% | 25% |
Read Innovate UK’s definition of micro, small, medium and large companies.
*Industrial research refers to planned research aimed at acquiring new knowledge for developing new products, processes, or services.
**Experimental development is closer to market — it involves using existing knowledge to develop or improve products, processes, or services.
Example
If you were a medium-sized company with £10 million in qualifying project costs, you could apply for a grant of up to £6 million.
This includes up to 80% of your investment in capital equipment for large-scale demonstration projects.
Applying as a Non-Commercial Organisation
Universities, RTOs and other organisations undertaking non-economic activity can share up to 5% of the project’s total eligible costs and can secure:
- Up to 100% of their costs if they are a charity, not-for-profit, public sector organisation or research organisation
- Up to 80% of their full economic costs if they are a Je-S registered institution, such as a university
Je-S is the UK Research Councils’ Joint Electronic Submission system used by universities to submit costs.
How Do I Apply for Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure Round 2?
The application process is the same across all three strands of the ZEVI Round 2 competition and is completed via the Innovation Funding Service (IFS) portal.
Your application is split into four sections:
- Project details – This section isn’t scored but provides assessors with important background on your project, including its scope, innovation and consortium structure.
- Application questions – You’ll need to answer a detailed set of questions covering areas such as the need for your project, your technical approach, demonstration plan, environmental impact, team, market opportunity and risks. All questions must be completed, although only some are scored. Preparing this section will be the most time-intensive part of your application.
- Finances – Each organisation in your consortium must submit a detailed breakdown of its project costs, not just the lead applicant.
- Project impact – This section is not scored but provides important context on the wider economic, environmental and societal benefits of your project.
Your application will be scored by five assessors. Their combined score is the main thing that will determine whether your application is accepted. However, Innovate UK takes a portfolio approach, meaning they also choose companies that represent a range of technologies and risk profiles.
If your application performs well in the initial assessment, you may be invited to an interview stage, where you’ll present your project and respond to assessor feedback. The interviews will be held between 23 November 2026 and 4 December 2026.
Thinking of Applying? We’ll Maximise Your Funding Chances
The Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure competition is a brilliant opportunity to secure a generous grant for technologies that can make the maritime sector cleaner and more energy efficient.
However, with up to £20 million up for grabs, this competition is likely to be highly competitive. GrantTree can significantly increase your chances of success, calling on years of grant-winning experience to prove that your project deserves funding.
We offer a wide range of services to suit a variety of budgets. To find out how we can help, just get in touch.
