🚢🤖 Project FAVOR Secures €1.18M Horizon Europe Funding for Autonomous Maritime Futures

Project FAVOR (FAcilitate the development of unmanned Vehicles in the maritime sectOR) has been awarded €1.18 million in funding by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe MSCA Staff Exchanges (SE) 2025 call, marking a major milestone for research and innovation in autonomous and intelligent shipping.

Led by Liverpool John Moores University, the 48-month project brings together a global consortium of nine leading institutions across Europe and Asia, including UCL, to address not only the technological challenges of unmanned and intelligent vessels, but also the wider ecosystem that will enable their safe, secure and inclusive deployment. This includes regulatory frameworks, cybersecurity risks, workforce impacts, and gender parity in maritime automation.

Through more than 300 person-months of international staff exchanges, FAVOR will develop cutting-edge solutions such as VR-based training programmes for remote ship operators and generate evidence-based guidance for international regulators, including the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The consortium includes partners from the UK, Portugal, Turkey, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Singapore, reflecting the truly global nature of the transition toward autonomous and mixed-traffic maritime operations. The project is scheduled to launch in June 2026, setting the course for a new era of safer, smarter, and more inclusive maritime transport.