* Opening date to be confirmed*
Funding Opportunity
The European Space Agency (ESA) invites companies to participate in the ‘Space for Underwater Radiated Noise Management’ initiative. This opportunity aims to support the development of innovative services that leverage space technology to address the challenges posed by underwater radiated noise (URN) to the marine environment. The Call for Proposals welcomes submissions for Feasibility Studies and Demonstration Projects. Please refer to the ‘Authorisation of Funding’ section below to determine your team’s eligibility for funding.
The Challenge
Underwater Radiated Noise (URN) has emerged as a major and growing environmental pressure in marine ecosystems, largely driven by human activities such as commercial shipping and offshore operations. Among these, vessel traffic is the most significant source of continuous, low-frequency noise, with estimates indicating that 91% of Europe’s seas are exposed to ongoing shipping noise and 10% to high shipping density. Impulsive noise from activities such as seismic surveys or construction is more spatially limited, affecting around 8% of European marine areas.
Despite historically receiving less attention than other forms of marine pollution, the harmful effects of URN on marine life are increasingly recognised and URN is now emerging as a commercially relevant field across multiple maritime sectors.
Topics of Relevance
The most recurring use cases, as identified by several organisations in different maritime sectors, have been categorised below.
Quiet Maritime Environment
- Quiet Ship Design – Voluntary Certification and Compliance
- Quiet Ship Operation
- Quiet Port Initiatives
- Quiet water activities and water toys
Environmental Services
- URN in ESG and Digital Maritime Analytics
- Improving Underwater Noise Monitoring and Threshold Assessment
- Monitoring Shipping and Operational Impact on Marine Protected Areas
Subsea Activity Noise Management
- Construction noise mitigation: offshore platforms
- Continuous machinery noise
- Cable ‘snapping’ noise
Value of Space
Direct detection of URN is not possible from space. However, several space-based assets provide valuable proxy data that can significantly enhance the understanding, monitoring, and mitigation of URN emissions. These include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Satellite communications: AIS (Automatic Identification System) data relayed via satellites enables near-global tracking of vessel movements, supporting the modelling and correlation of noise emissions with specific traffic patterns. When integrated with in-situ acoustic sensors or Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) systems, AIS data can enhance both real-time and retrospective analysis of underwater noise.
- Satellite Earth Observation (EO): EO data can support environmental characterisation, including bathymetry, sea surface temperature, and chlorophyll concentration, all of which influence the propagation of sound underwater. This characterisation is fundamental not only for maritime traffic modelling, but also for the Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for offshore developments. EO systems also contribute to monitoring vessel activity in sensitive or protected areas, assisting enforcement and conservation efforts.
- Satellite Positioning and Timing: Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) underpin the positioning accuracy of AIS data, which is crucial for reliable noise modelling. Additionally, GNSS data can be used to implement geofencing of ecologically sensitive zones, enabling the enforcement of dynamic noise reduction measures or vessel exclusion policies.
What we look for
ESA invites tenders to develop and deploy innovative solutions that enhance URN management. We encourage companies to conduct Feasibility Studies or Demonstration Projects to address the increasing risks associated with climate change. We are seeking business ideas that demonstrate:
- Clear market opportunities and customer needs
- Commercially viable service concepts
- Feasible technical solutions
- Effective use of space data or technology
- Teams with business, technical, and financial expertise
What we offer
We offer funding and support to companies, both for business case assessment and for the development of new, space-based services. Our offer includes:
- Zero-equity funding*
- Technical and commercial guidance
- Access to our network and partners
- ESA brand credibility
*(50-80% depending on SME Status and Member State Approval)
ESA Tender information
The initiative is open to the submission of proposals for Feasibility Studies and Demonstration Projects:
- Feasibility studies – which provide the preparatory framework to identify, analyse and define new potentially sustainable services
- Demonstration Projects – dedicated to the implementation and demonstration of pre-operational services
- Step 1: Activity Pitch Questionnaire
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The Activity Pitch Questionnaire allows you to present your business idea in a reduced, standardised pitch. It helps us to quickly assess your activity and decide on the way forward.
- Download the Activity Pitch Questionnaire.
- Prepare your pitch and optionally consult with an ESA Business Applications Ambassador.
- Submit your pitch as instructed here. You will need to sign up to the Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP) to submit your idea.
Upon submission of an Activity Pitch Questionnaire:
- We may share the submitted Activity Pitch Questionnaire with National Delegations for coordination purposes.
- We will assess your pitch.
- We will inform you about the results and next steps.
Note:
- Before Full Proposal submission (Step 3), you must obtain authorisation from the National Delegations of the countries in which your and your partners’ organisations reside. We recommend liaising with the National Delegations as early as possible.
- For Italian entities, it is NOT required to contact the National Delegation (ASI), because ESA has been delegated by ASI to interface with the Tenderer in the whole stage of the bidding process.
- Step 2: Outline Proposal
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If we accept your Activity Pitch Questionnaire, we will invite you to prepare an Outline Proposal for a Feasibility Study or Demonstration Project.
- Download the Outline Proposal Template for a Feasibility Study or Demonstration Project from the Documents webpage.
- Prepare your proposal, elaborating on your pitch.
- Submit your Outline Proposal to the Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP) for evaluation, within 2 months from APQ submission.
Upon submission of an Outline Proposal:
- We may involve external experts in the proposal evaluation to coordinate activities within ESA Member States and the European Union.
- We may ask you to address clarification points originating from the Outline Proposal evaluation.
- If all clarification points are sufficiently addressed, we will prepare a project dossier and request approval from our Steering Board, which meets quarterly.
- We will inform you about results and next steps.
- Step 3: Full Proposal
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If we invite you to submit a Full Proposal:
- Register your team on esa-star Registration today! If your team is made up of more than one organisation, each entity will need to register.
- Download the official tender documents from esa-star Publication.
- Prepare your proposal using the official tender documents and reach out to your National Delegate to obtain a Letter of Authorisation.
- Submit your proposal via esa-star Tendering within 4 months of OP submission.
Upon submission of a Full Proposal:
- An independent board will evaluate your proposal against criteria set out in the tender documentation.
- We may ask you to address clarification points identified during proposal evaluation and invite you to a negotiation meeting.
- Upon successful negotiation, we will send you a contract for signature and agree the project kick-off.
Authorisation of funding
To qualify for funding, your team must be located in one of the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Hungary, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Lithuania, or Slovakia.
If your company is based in Greece, Spain, or Canada, eligibility for funding requires that your idea is related to 5G technologies or includes a significant element concerning Safety and Security.
Teams based outside these Member States are not eligible for this funding call.
The funding level for your team depends on authorisation from the relevant national delegations. Therefore, bidding teams must obtain Letter(s) of Authorisation from the relevant national delegation(s) before submitting a Full Proposal. If a team includes companies from different Member States, each entity must request a Letter of Authorisation from their National Delegate.
Contact information for each national delegate is available here.
Webinar
A webinar will be held in September and details will be published on this page as soon as possible.