Green Transition Grants for Charter Fleets

• 10.07.2026.
• News, Regulations

Starting July 31, charter companies can apply for grants of up to €10,000 per vessel for wastewater treatment systems, desalinators, solar panels, and electric motors. The €600,000 fund is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis — so preparing the paperwork should start now.

On July 3, 2026, the Ministry of Tourism and Sport published a public call for small-value grants under "Competitiveness of the Tourism Economy 2026 – Green and Digital Transition of Tourism Entrepreneurs". For the charter industry, the relevant scheme is Measure D – Nautical Tourism Vessels, through which charter companies can receive up to €10,000 per vessel, for a maximum of three vessels — meaning up to €30,000 in grant funding per company for investments in green equipment.

One detail shapes everything else: grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, to complete and eligible applications, until the funds run out. A total of €600,000 is available under Measure D, which realistically covers only a few dozen applications. Applications open on July 31, 2026 at 9:00 AM and close no later than August 31 at 12:00 PM — but with calls like this, the funds are typically exhausted well before the formal deadline. Anyone who starts preparing their paperwork in August has probably already missed out.

What exactly is co-financed?

Measure D covers three categories of green transition investments:

1. Biochemical wastewater (black and grey water) treatment systems, provided the unit is certified in accordance with the EU MED Directive 2014/90/EU, MARPOL 73/78 Annex IV, and the applicable IMO resolutions. Pay close attention to this certification when choosing a supplier — a non-certified unit means an ineligible cost.
2. Seawater desalination systems on board.
3. Energy efficiency equipment: replacing petrol outboard auxiliary engines with electric ones, replacing existing marine batteries with newer, more durable models with longer replacement intervals, and installing solar panels and wind generators.
The grant intensity is up to 70% of eligible costs — the company finances at least 30% of the investment itself.

Important for planning: invoices and payments dated between January 1, 2026 and October 30, 2027 are recognized, meaning investments already made earlier this year can be included in the cost breakdown, and the project can run through next season.

Who can apply?

Eligible applicants are small businesses — companies outside the public sector, trades (obrt), and cooperatives — registered under NKD activity codes 50.10, 50.30, 77.21.1, or 77.34. Charter companies must be registered with the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure and have at least three charter vessels owned or under financial leasing, in line with the applicable regulation (NN 42/17).

Beyond that, several conditions eliminate applicants most often in practice, so check them before you even start:

• the company must have had at least two full-time employees on an annual basis in the previous year the business activity
• must have been registered at least one year before applying
• tax debt to the state exceeding €10 means rejection
• companies with blocked accounts, and affiliated companies submitting multiple applications, do not qualify activities
• already co-financed through KTG 2024 and 2025 or other sources are not eligible
• applicants who received grants in previous years must have approved final reports for all of them.

Each applicant may submit one application, covering investments in up to three vessels. The grant falls under de minimis rules, meaning total small-value aid must not exceed €300,000 over three consecutive years.

What documentation is required?

The applicant submits: a valid operating licence confirming minimum requirements for the activity, the vessel's registration certificate, certified declarations on de minimis aid received and on affiliated companies (Annexes 1 and 2), a detailed cost breakdown form (Annex 3), and technical documentation with offers or pro forma invoices.

Trades subject to income tax and cooperatives also submit JOPPD forms for March, June, September, and December 2025. Companies with registered accommodation capacity additionally need a certified confirmation from the Croatian National Tourist Board of no outstanding tourist tax debt — a printout from the eVisitor system is explicitly not acceptable; an official confirmation is required.

Everything else (registry extracts, FINA records, tax debt status for limited companies) is verified by the Ministry itself.

How are applications submitted — and why sort this out now?

Applications are submitted exclusively online through the TuRiznica service on the eTurizam portal; applications sent by post or delivered in person will not be considered.

There is also an administrative step many overlook: the application can only be submitted by a person authorized to represent the business entity, logged in through the eGrađani system with at least a significant or high level of NIAS credentials. If someone else is submitting the application — an accountant or consultant, for example — the authorized person must first grant them power of attorney through the e-Ovlaštenje system, and both parties need a high credential level for that.

Questions about the call can be sent exclusively to potpore-ktg@mints.hr (stating the measure in the subject line), no later than August 27.

The Ministry does not issue preliminary opinions on the eligibility of applicants or costs.

What to watch out for after approval?

Several contractual obligations are worth knowing before applying, as they affect whether entering the process makes sense at all. Within 8 days of receiving the contract, the beneficiary must return the signed contract and a notarized blank promissory note — otherwise they are considered to have withdrawn. All activities must be completed, paid for, and justified in a final report by October 30, 2027, and all costs from the cost breakdown must be accounted for (both the grant-covered portion and the company's own 30%). Offers and pro forma invoices are not valid proof of spending, and a payment order is not proof of payment — invoices and bank statements are required.

And finally: the co-financed vessels must remain in tourism operation for at least three years after project completion.

Ineligible costs include, among others, deductible VAT, used equipment, consulting services, and the costs of licences, subscriptions, and maintenance.

Call documentation

For a charter company already planning to install solar panels, replace batteries, or fit a wastewater treatment system — and such investments are increasingly common ahead of the 2027 season, driven by both regulation and guest expectations — this is an opportunity to have the state cover up to 70% of the cost. The fund is limited, the principle is first come, first served, and the slowest part of the process isn't the forms — it's collecting certified confirmations and sorting out digital credentials.

The complete call documentation, including applicant guidelines, cost breakdown forms, and contract templates, is available on the Ministry of Tourism and Sport website and in the TuRiznica system.

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