State aid can be granted for shipbuilding innovations in order to secure favourable preconditions for innovation in the sector. From 2018, applications for aid must be made to Business Finland.

The aid is intended for the development of shipping project innovations. The aim is to achieve innovative and advanced vessel or offshore solutions, while facilitating market entry for new innovations as part of shipping projects..

What kinds of projects

1. The project concerns the experimental development of innovative products and methods which are technologically new or markedly better than the currently best equivalents in the EU's shipbuilding industry, and which involve a risk of technological or industrial failure; and
2. Where the aid is directly and exclusively limited to investment, design and testing costs related to the innovative component of the project.
3. Grants can only be approved for activities that occur after an application has been made.

To whom can we grant aid?

1. Companies registered in Finland that are engaged in shipbuilding, vessel repairs or structural modifications, and companies engaged in building floating and moving offshore structures;
2. if the recipient of the aid has an office in Finland and the project involves significant Finnish interests;
3. if the project concerns the experimental development of innovative products and processes which are technologically new or markedly better than the currently best equivalents in the EU's shipbuilding industry, and which involve a risk of technological or industrial failure;
4. if the innovation aid has an incentivising effect on the innovation activities of the recipient; and
5. if the recipient is thought to have the preconditions for continued profitable operations.

The incentivising effect referred to in point 4 may be considered to be fulfilled in series-produced vessels for the first vessel in the series. However, if new innovative solutions are tested and built on later vessels in the series that have not yet been incorporated into the first vessel in the series, the sister vessel can be treated as a new project in this respect.

We can award aid for projects which involve

1. Experimental R&D, whereby existing knowledge is used in order to develop new and improved products, processes or services, prototypes and pilot projects. Such R&D does not include improvements of existing products, which can be classified as so-called normal and unavoidable development.
2. shipbuilding involving the construction of self-propelled, commercial vessels featuring innovations
3. ship repairs involving the innovative repair of self-propelled commercial vessels
4. structural modifications of ships, involving fundamental structural modifications of self-propelled commercial vessels (gross tonnage of > 1,000 tonnes)
5. the construction of floating or moving offshore structures intended for the search for, or the exploitation or production of oil, gas or renewable energy.

Maximum aid

The aid may not exceed 25% of the eligible costs defined in the regulation. Maximum aid of EUR 15 million can be awarded for a single project.

Before applying, please contact Esa Lindqvist, Group Manager, tel. +358 400 522 141, esa.lindqvist (at) businessfinland.fi

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