The Official State Gazette (BOE) has published, on 21 December 2024, the new call of the Ports 4.0 fund for its Pre-Commercial Projects program. The deadline for submitting applications is three months. This call regulates the granting, by Puertos del Estado, of public aid within the framework of the Plan for the Promotion of Entrepreneurship for Innovation in the Port Sector.
The total amount of this call for the financing of Pre-Commercial Projects amounts to €11,250,000. With a maximum funding of 60% of the costs associated in the project budget to the innovation component, with a maximum limit of one million euros for the period of validity of this.
The purpose of these grants is to help develop a new product, service, process, or improve an existing technology with a new innovative component, developing its application for the port-logistics sector. Applicants must also promote the achievement of measurable progress solutions in one or more areas of port logistics activity.
You can consult the Rules and Regulations of the call for applications here.
Projects will be ready for the pre-commercial phase when they have passed the proof of concept and are at a TRL3, 4, 5 or 6 level. In addition, they must be able to be validated in a logistics-port environment. The goal is to have them positively validated in a real environment or to reach TRL7 level of technological maturity.
The areas of interest are: logistics efficiency in the field of infrastructure, operational or service provision, environmental and energy sustainability, security, digitization of processes and intelligent platforms and any other innovative product, service or process with an impact on the port logistics sector or on the nautical or fishing port sector.
In addition, the Pre-Commercial Project submitted must have a certain innovative component, demonstrable and clearly delimited, at least in terms of scope, content and costs, as well as not existing, both at national and international level, its application for the sector. This innovative component of the applications must represent at least 50% of the total budget, even if this percentage exceeds the funding limits established for each type of project.
In addition, we make available to you the address puertos40@idom.com for any kind of clarification or consultation about the program. All recurring answers to the call will be published periodically in the FAQ section.
On the web www.ports40.es you can submit your application.
