The European Commission authorized on Friday the €500 million Italian programme to support companies of national navigation to buy low-impact ships environmental and to modernize the most polluting ships that make already part of their fleets. The scheme notified by Italy will be financed through the Complementary Fund established with national resources to complement the National Recovery Plan and Resilience and will be open to shipping companies registered in Italy providing transport links maritime between an Italian port and European and/or Mediterranean ports, or operating within Italian ports.

The aid will take the form of direct grants. The amount Maximum aid per beneficiary will be 40% of the costs eligible and may be increased up to 60% for small and medium-sized enterprises and 45% for projects involving ships in zero emissions.