Subsidy for upscaling energy transition in inland vessels
Are you planning to build a new sustainable vessel or make an existing one more sustainable? You may be eligible for the Subsidy Scheme for the Early Upscaling of the Energy Transition in Inland Vessels 2026-2029 (Subsidieregeling Vroege Opschaling Energietransitie Binnenschepen 2026-2029). This scheme is available to owners of inland waterway vessels in the Netherlands.
The subsidy helps you to finance the purchase and installation of an energy system (energielijn) for electric, hydrogen, methanol, or hybrid-electric propulsion. You can also apply for a subsidy to invest in charging infrastructure or refuelling infrastructure for the new energy system.
What are the conditions?
This subsidy is for Dutch inland waterway operators with a main or secondary place of business in the Netherlands. You must meet certain conditions to apply for the subsidy for a sustainable energy system, such as:
- The company must not be a undertaking in difficulty.
- You cannot start the work before the subsidy application is submitted.
- You may apply for the subsidy 4 times at most (once for each vessel).
- The project must start within 12 months of the subsidy decision.
- The project must last, at most, 3 years for a new-build vessel or 2 years for an existing vessel (retrofitted inland waterway vessel).
- The minimum subsidy amount is €150,000 per applicant, per project.
View all conditions for the subsidy (in Dutch).
You can apply for a subsidy for the purchase and installation of charging or refuelling infrastructure only if you apply for an energy system at the same time. You must also meet the conditions for charging and refuelling infrastructure (in Dutch).
How to apply?
You can apply for the subsidy Energy Transition in Inland Vessels to the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO, in Dutch) from 17 November 2026, 9:00 hours until 16 March 2027, 17:00 hours.
You will need at least level 3 of eHerkenning to apply.