Project-Awards-2025

WestMED Project Awards 2025

To honour excellent projects that strengthen the sustainable Blue Economy in the Western Mediterranean region

Free travel and accommodation to the conference 2025 in Tunis, Tunisia, a pitching platform and a dedicated coaching session to further elevate your project/ organisation.
Previous award winners gained access to new markets and funding for projects while some were even invited for television appearances.

The 2025 edition of the WestMED Project Awards is now open!

We invite all stakeholders in the Western Mediterranean Blue Economy to apply for the WestMED Project Awards 2025.

This international project competition aims to showcase and honour outstanding success stories, which provide innovative and replicable solutions embodying the WestMED initiative’s vision for the Western Mediterranean.

The WestMED Steering Committee, with support from the WestMED Assistance Mechanism, is organising this 2025 edition of the WestMED Project Awards.

The winners will be announced during the WestMED Stakeholders Conference on 28 November 2025 in Tunis, Tunisia.

Check the previous 2023 Conference – including the 5 winning projects.

Sustainable Consumption and Production

The transition of Maritime Transport, Green shipping, and Ports towards carbon-neutrality and zero emission and ports as hubs for energy as well as marine renewable energy
Innovative and restorative aquaculture and fisheries, including blue biotechnology
Coastal and maritime eco-tourism

Biodiversity, Marine Habitat Conservation and Maritime Spatial Planning

Pollution control at sea and land-based level
Protection of coastal and marine ecosystems and combating coastal erosion and habitat degradation
Maritime safety, security, surveillance and governance of the sea
Promoting Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP)
Climate change adaptation and coastal resilience solutions

Maritime Clusters

Promote cross-sectoral collaboration among businesses, academia, public authorities, and civil society, especially involving SMEs and startups
Support the emergence and development of southern clusters, including capacity building and investment-readiness initiatives
Enhance regional integration by connecting maritime actors across borders and sectors

Blue Skills and Ocean Literacy

Blue skills and jobs: training, education, and workforce development in maritime sectors. This includes upskilling/reskilling for new technologies, promoting maritime careers, enhancing research collaboration, and facilitating mutual recognition of qualifications to boost cross-border mobility.
Ocean Literacy and Youth: education, awareness, and initiatives for the public and youth, that promote conservation, restoration, and sustainable resource use.

For the winners

Free travel and accommodation to attend the WestMED Conference 2025 in Tunis
A trophy and certificate
A Project Pitch opportunity to showcase your project to the conference participants
a dedicated coaching session with our National Hub experts focused on further expansion
Access to the EU Sea Basins Strategies networks covering the Western Mediterranean, the Atlantic and the Black Sea
Promotional exposure through the WestMED communication channels
‘Winner WestMED Best Project 2025 Award’ promotional banner to use on your website

westmed award testimonial from project leader starfish

Testimonial from Nesrine Ziad about winning the awards with the Algeria Startup Challenge

Mounir Ghribi testimonial on winning the award with Blue Skills

Award winner Algeria Startup Challenge/ Leancubator on Algerian national television (in Arab)

Award winner Blue Skills on Italian television (separately edited with English subtitles)

Eligibility and Application

In order to be eligible, projects must:

Be delivered within the Western Mediterranean geographical area: Algeria, France, Italy, Libya, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Portugal, Spain and Tunisia
Have been initiated and/or completed during the 36 months prior to the announcement of this call. Applications may be submitted by any individual, organisation, business, group, network, consortium or institution. Any type of funded project (at local, regional, national, or European level from public and/or private sources) that has been delivered or is being delivered inside the WestMED geographical area is eligible to apply.

Download the guidelines here. You’ll find further details on key dates, criteria, selection procedure, and so on.

Submit your project!

Deadline: 30 September 2025

Submit my project (link opens on 26 June 2025)

WestMED Project Awards 2025

The 2025 edition of the WestMED Project Awards is now open!

Categories

For the winners

Eligibility and Application

Submit your project!